Freely Speaking Audio Devotion

Welcome to Freely Speaking, an OHSOFREE devotional ministry where we share our hearts and trust God for transformation.

Today, Angela Gray shares her favorite scripture from John 15:1 NIV:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”

Are you a gardener who grows lovely vegetables or beautiful flowers? I have several friends who grow vegetable gardens or gorgeous blooms. One friend inherited a houseplant she has kept alive for over thirty years!

I am in awe of my friends’ gardening talents. I have never been able to keep a single plant alive. Green thumb? I don’t even have a 'green thumbnail!'

Today’s focus scripture begins one of my favorite passages in the Bible: Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”

One of my gardening friends gave me five small tomato plants this summer. With my history of horticultural failures, I expected to fail again, but I genuinely wanted to succeed this time. 

If these little plants were going to survive and thrive, I needed help from a Master Gardener, my Heavenly Father. So, I prayed. I faithfully took care of the plants, watering, pruning, and fertilizing them, and every day, I prayed they would grow and bear much fruit.

As I prayed for the plants, I also prayed for myself. I saw myself in those little plants, and it was crucial that they grow and produce fruit because if they did, I would also. I wanted to be that fruitful branch Jesus discusses in the scriptures.

God did answer my prayer by blessing me with many tomatoes. Hallelujah!

But the greatest blessing was my daily, sweet fellowship with the Lord and the love I experienced in His patient care of this little “branch.” I was often impatient and worried that neither the plants nor I would produce fruit. It was taking too long! But the Lord would whisper, “Be patient. Wait.”

Baring fruit is a product of time. Branches must grow to be strong enough to support the fruit. Blossoms must bloom, and pollination must occur before fruit is formed.

We can trust the 'Gardener.' Fruitfulness in a garden, or our relationship with Christ, only comes through abiding or waiting in the “vine.” Find a quiet place and spend some time growing in Jesus today.

Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to learn more about OhSoFree Ministries, please visit us at www.ohsofreeministries.com/