How fruitful are you?

I have been interested to learn, since we arrived in Leicester a couple of years ago, that a significant number of those who are church members here have lived in the locality for many years.  In fact, there are a surprising number of people who have lived here all their lives.  I guess that fact says something about the area itself, given that people are content enough to spend the whole of their lives in the same community.

It seems to me that, generally speaking, we live in a much more mobile age, when people are more likely to move around from place to place over the years.  The days when extended families tended to be situated fairly close to one another have, by and large, long gone; generally speaking, people seem to be less likely to put down long-lasting roots in one place.  Sue and I are in our 8th home since we were married in 1978.  What's more, we are shortly to be on the move again!

No, we haven't got fed up with Leicester already and decided to move on (we really like it here!)  Rather, we are (if everything goes to plan) moving to a different house which is much more suitable as a manse and is situated in a better position than the current manse, in terms of being more in the centre of the local community.  Of course, one of the implications of moving home is having to pack up, and the challenge of deciding what items to take.  I think that Sue and I both tend to be hoarders by nature, but we may have to make some hard decisions about what we really need and what can be disposed of.

This issue relates in my mind to something which I was talking about in yesterday's church services.  We were focusing on the passage in John chapter 15 where Jesus describes himself as being "The True Vine".   He speaks of his followers as being branches connected to the Vine.  The purpose of the branch is to bear fruit.  Jesus makes the point that, God the Father (the gardener) 'prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit.'  

Modern life can be very hectic, and full of all sorts of activity.  Some of that activity, however, might in reality not be fruitful, or may even prevent or reduce fruitfulness in other areas of our life.  Sometimes God may want to 'prune' some elements of our lives so that our lives can become more fruitful in his service.  Any gardener understands the benefit of pruning.  Pruning can be painful, but it leads to greater fruitfulness.