Follow Me

It’s almost spring, and that’s got me thinking a lot about growth. I see tiny buds beginning to form on my plants outdoors. I have really been looking forward to warmer weather, so I am excited to see the signs that mark a changing season.

I’ve learned a little bit about gardening in my adult years. I’m not the best green thumb, but I’m a lot better than I used to be. One thing I know is that a good gardener is able to discern just what a plant needs for optimal growth. Sometimes, plants need repotting. The pot they are in is just too small, or there’s root rot beneath the surface that needs to be dealt with. Sometimes, plants need to be put into the ground so they can grow deeper roots. Some plants need more water, and others less. Some plants need fertilizer, and others need pest control. Some plants grow strong roots in winter, while other delicate plants need to be brought indoors when seasons change to avoid damage from extreme temperatures. Great gardeners are very knowledgeable and know just what to do.

Of course, as nature often mirrors what we go through as humans, there are many lessons we can learn by observing it. Jesus says to His disciples,

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” John 15:1-6 NLT

Jesus is our life source—the vine we must stay attached to. Our Father is the gardener, cutting off anything that doesn’t produce fruit. We have to remain in Jesus to stay healthy. If we remove ourselves from Him, we are destined to wilt away. We can’t do anything without Him.

Paul reminds believers in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are “temples” in which the Holy Spirit dwells. Before Jesus, there was a physical temple that God’s presence would inhabit to lead His people. And there’s something important we can learn from that time that applies to us today.

“Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:34-38 NLT

It’s simple. To remain in Him, and Him in us, we have to follow His leading in our lives. Jesus says it over and over in the New Testament: “Follow me.” To remain in Jesus, we have to follow Him as He leads.

This can be difficult. As we follow Jesus and “remain” in Him, our Father prunes off all the things that aren’t helping us and makes us more like Him. Pruning can make things look really bare for a moment. Season shifts can cause drastic changes. Repotting can shock a plant for a moment—but all of these things, when done properly, create a thriving plant. And unlike me—a fairly new gardener learning how to do things right—God the Father is the perfect gardener, and He never makes mistakes.

He’s aware of the jolt you feel when things change suddenly, but He won’t allow anything without also giving you the grace to endure it. He is still with you, even when winter seasons feel never-ending. And dear friend, when storms come, though they may seem dark, I pray that you would remember they are also a source of provision, as rainfall brings life and growth. If we don’t give up, we will see His hand at work in our lives as we grow and thrive.

Sometimes, “follow me” is easy. It feels like turning toward sunshine and receiving fresh nutrients—we can almost immediately feel the benefits! Other times, “follow me” feels like a tremendous risk, and it could mean uprooting from everything we’ve ever known or being willing to let go of things we’ve held onto so dearly. Will you follow Him wherever He leads?

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLT