Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. . . These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (Jn. 15:5,11)
What are these things? The vine and the branch. The branch must abide—remain—in the vine. Apart from the vine, the branch will wither and die. Jesus is the vine. The Christian is the branch. When the believer first realizes that Jesus solves their sin problem, great joy fills their soul. Through faith in the sacrificial Lamb of God, they are grafted into the vine of the cross. The chains of sin fall off, and joy fills the heart. There is great joy on earth; there is rejoicing in heaven. The ones who have immersed themselves in the ever-flowing fountain have quenched their thirsty soul and cleansed their soiled heart. They have joined themselves to their Savior. The branch is grafted into the vine; a union between the two. The result—a stronger plant, a more fragrant flower, and a sweeter fruit. Jesus cautions His disciples that if His joy is to remain in them, they must abide in Him. In order to survive the summer droughts, harsh storms, troublesome pests, and various diseases ahead, the vinedresser must firmly graft the branch into the vine. Storms and pests will come, but the branch, securely grafted and nourished by the vine, will remain resolutely grafted into it. The vinedresser cuts and exposes the branch then slips it under the flaps he has cut in the vine and ties it to the vine. So must the believer experience hardships in life, pressing into Jesus with an ever-growing faith that firmly binds him to the True Vine, Jesus.
During the trials, the tribulations, and the testing of our faith, we need to be especially careful to hold fast to Jesus. Faith joined us to Him. The testing of our faith strengthens us. When we endure the spring squalls, the harsh trials, the daily pests and temptations, we better understand Who Jesus is. Our love increases, our fruit ripens, and our joy remains. Our joy is full because we are uniting ourselves with Jesus. When the winds blow, we are flexible, not demanding our own rights. We are receiving nourishment from Jesus. We are growing in our faith. We are finding rest for our souls.
Are you abiding in Jesus? Are the trials and testing of your faith causing you to find greater nourishment in His Word and prayer? Do you know the joy of Jesus? May this be the prayer of your heart today, “Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art; I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.”