This is a series of TFTDs inspired over the months of July and August – the hottest on record!
East Anglia seems to have been particularly affected by the long hot and dry summer, with brown lawns, trees and shrubs shedding appearing to wither before our eyes and devastating wildfires on Dunwich Heath that required every firefighter in the region and many form beyond to work in searing heat to try and extinguish the fires.
Despite all this some of the plants in my garden have survived. (And not a hosepipe in sight.)
In early spring I took one look at the vine in our greenhouse and assumed it had died over winter. There were just dry hard stems with no buds to be seen. But then in late April it suddenly sprang into life and buds opened up, leaves once more covered the plants and we seemed promised a reasonable crop of grapes.
But it was not to be! Mr Blackbird got in there first and I was only able to sample a few grapes.
The bible reading set for today (John 15:1-6) is where Jesus describes himself as the true vine and we are the branches. God is the gardener who comes to cut away the branches that do not bear fruit, and even prune back those that do bear fruit so that they will be more fruitful in the future.
The branches that bear fruit are those that live in union (remain in) with Jesus and so bear much fruit, whereas those who only make a superficial commitment are like the branches that bear no fruit.
And remember that the fruit we produce may not be picked by those we expect, but by those we least expect. All are welcome, all are part of God’s wonderful creation.
Prayer: Jesus you are the true vine and we are the branches. Help us to remain in you, to be deeply committed to learning from and following you. May we bear fruit that is food for all. Amen