This afternoon my friend Bill did a little “pruning” on my
mandolin. The sound of the mandolin is
really good. It is in tune. It plays well. Until you get to this certain spot. At one particular fret the two strings which
are supposed to be perfectly in tune with each other were not. He agreed to check it out and see if he could
fix it. He has the tools needed to do
that kind of precision work. So off came
the saddle, off came the strings, off came the bridge. I didn’t know how to fix that issue even
though it is my instrument. There was
some cutting done and filing. The
notches in the bridge were changed with a cutting file. Then the actual metal frets themselves
received some sanding and friction and were changed to be lower than they were
originally. After that the frets were a
little flat, not rounded and shaped the way they needed to be, so more sculpting
was done with a special tool for shaping.
Soon the frets were back to a shape that would be easy for the strings
lay on at the perfect angle. All of this
was done in tiny increments, a little at a time. Finally the fretboard was polished and
cleaned as was the body of the mandolin, new strings were installed. The problem was checked and it was fixed but
there was one more little spot that needed attention. Once again two strings were moved into a
different position and the bridge notch was filed a bit and strings put back in
place. Pressure was applied by changing
the bridge height a little. And …voila! Now the mandolin sounds really pretty and
plays like it is supposed to….and once I learn to play it well, the music will
hopefully be beautiful! 😊
As I was watching this process, this Scripture kept coming to
mind and I was made aware that God has to “make adjustments” that can be “cutting”
and “rough” to His children too. But what
struck me the most was why He does it.
Just like that mandolin needed to be worked on to continue to produce
pretty music, we as Christians need to be worked on my our Maker to continue to
bear fruit. And just like the joy that
comes from hearing the mandolin being played and the sounds it is able to
produce, Jesus wants our joy to be complete by having us abide in Him. It was such a beautiful picture to me of how
God works in our lives to bring us joy in ways we may not really understand all
the time.
So this is the Scripture on my heart tonight...Jesus said
"I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me
that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that DOES bear fruit
He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."
Sometimes I think I have had the idea that when I am going
through difficult seasons of life, or troubles, or temptations, or worries, or
hardships....I have had the idea that it is punishment...And sometimes God does
use consequences of actions as a disciplinary action ...because He loves me. I
have experienced His discipline in the past, I assure you.
But just going through difficult times emotionally or struggling
with things in life does not always mean that you are being disciplined. No,
these words of Jesus say that the branches (that's us who love and follow
Jesus) that ARE bearing fruit (meaning being productive for the Lord,
spiritually productive, doing what it is He asks of us, not being rebellious)...we
can receive things in our daily life that are pruning.
And pruning is not a punishment...it is a help.
But pruning can be painful because there is a cutting away
...and anytime there is a cut, there is pain.
The pruning though is because God sees that we ARE being
fruitful, and He wants us to continue to be fruitful. He wants us to turn into
His arms even more and grow in the way He shapes us to grow. Why? So we can
grow more fruitful and show that we are His disciples....because by this God is
glorified!
" Already you are clean because of the word that I have
spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it
is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does
not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches
are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My
words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this
my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
The pruning is done not out of meanness or hate or
disappointment, but just because it is necessary to grow...and it is done out
of love. LOVE. LOVE.
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in
my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have
kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love."
And Jesus wants us to know this so that we do not get
discouraged when pruning comes...He wants us to understand and receive
joy...His joy!!!! What a difference that makes in how I see struggles and
trials in my life!
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in
you, and that your joy may be full. " John 15 : 1-12
