Look for the rainbow, and remember My promise. With it I sign the covenant I have made between Me and all
the living creatures residing on the earth. Genesis
9:17 (The Voice)
Thousands of meticulously pruned
grapevines dotted the valley as we traveled north towards Mendocino, California
one misty morning. Having harvested grapes at our local vineyard years ago, God
reminded me of John 15:4-5:
Abide in Me, and I will
abide in you. 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. (NIV)
I’d been asking God big questions that
day like, “What’s next?” or “Where do you want me to serve you, Lord?” Like the
past, He gave me the same one word answer, “Abide.” Simply abide—to remain
with, continue, and stay or to have one’s abode; to dwell or reside—with Him.
Jesus promises if we make our home
with him, he will make his home in us
and if we remain in Him, we will bear
much fruit. It’s a double promise, so wonderfully illustrated by the vineyards.
Home with Jesus is where we live
perfectly loved by the One who created us and knit us together in our mother’s
womb. With Jesus, we’re encouraged to be our truest selves—the person He
created us to be, despite the reality of our earthly home. Abiding is a matter
of the heart—where Jesus lives—not a physical place.
And then,
through our loving relationship, we will bear much fruit. We don’t bear fruit
through striving or demanding or wishing. We only produce fruit by remaining
attached to Jesus and being ourselves—just like a grape branch only bears
grapes because it’s attached to the grape vine. It doesn’t wish for fruit, or
jump through hoops to produce fruit. It just stays attached to the vine and
produces grapes—the fruit God created it to produce.
If these vineyards weren’t reminder
enough of God’s great promise, he punctuated the lesson with seven rainbows.
Yes, seven gorgeous rainbows pierced through the mist that morning. I “ooed and
ahhhed and giggled” like a giddy little girl whose daddy was lavishing his love
on her.
And then…then God really showed
off—around the last turn, outstretched over the vineyards was a fully arched
double rainbow! The largest rainbow (or double rainbow) I’d ever witnessed. For
this, I had no words, just awe—awe for God’s majesty in creation and His
signature covenant. I love how it’s worded in The Voice:
“Look for the rainbow, and remember My promise.
With it I sign the covenant I have made between Me and all the living creatures
residing on the earth.” Genesis 9:17
Look for the rainbow and remember my
promise. What better reminder of his promises in John 15 than an outstretched
double rainbow over those vineyards? He promises to be a good vinedresser—to
care for those of us who make our home in him—so that we will bear much fruit.
The fruit He created us to produce.
When we find our ministry calendars overflowing with
little fruit to show, will we take the time to stop and simply make room for
Jesus? Will we stop and look for the rainbow and remember God’s promise to
us—that if we make our home in him he will make his home in us?
Abba, create in us the desire to
make our home with you. Remind us daily of your promise that if we make our
home in you, you WILL make your home in us. Help us to accept your love that
only wants the best for us—the kind of love that helps us to become who YOU
created us to be. Amen
