Staying Connected

Staying Connected

Bible: John 17:1-5

Reading

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (V.5).

My phone is getting old. On full charge, I’ve got about ninety minutes, so I keep it plugged in all the time.

But lately, my phone has reminded me of a biblical truth: our need to stay connected to Jesus. He describes this idea in John 15. Of course, since they didn’t have smartphones, Jesus uses an illustration His friends understood at the time: a grape vine, in which the branches depend on the vine for fruitfulness. By describing Himself as “the vine”, Jesus says He is our source of life. To grow well, we have to stay connected to Him. When we attempt to make a go of it alone, our fruitfulness (our effectiveness for Him) fades: “Remain in me … apart from me you can do nothing” (V.5).

So how do we “remain” in Jesus in our daily lives? The Holy Spirit unites us with Him (JOHN 14:15-21), and we can experience that life-giving unity as we talk to Him throughout the day. Our conversations include confession (“Jesus, I’m sorry for …”), thankfulness (“Jesus, thank You for …”), sharing the needs of others (“Jesus, please help …”) and honesty (“Jesus, I’m feeling …”). Prayers like this are a way we remain in touch with Him through each moment. And they can help us trust and love Him (VV.9-15), so that we might live lives rooted in Him that show Him to the world.

PRAYER IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH GOD.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries