The Peach Tree

    Years ago, I planted a peach tree in my garden.
    It was not a big tree, and I got it at a reduced price because it was not shaped well.
    I let the tree go the first season and it grew some.
    The next season it began to grow dramatically.
    There was lots of new growth on every branch but there were too many blossoms and there was no fruit.
    After that second season, I pruned.  I cut and cut. I removed damaged branches and I removed branches that were too close. I cut so much out of the tree that I was concerned I had been too drastic.
    The next spring the tree was covered in blossoms. With fruit trees, if there are too many blossoms the fruit becomes so heavy on the branches the branches break.
    I picked some of the blossoms off, but it was hard to take as many as I should.
    The season went on and the blossoms transformed into fruit. It was a good year, fruit covered the tree.
    The branches began to sag. Then one night a large branch broke off from the tree.
    Pruning worked. The tree produced lots of excellent peaches, but it was damaged because I had not been severe enough in the removal of blossoms, which is a form of pruning. The tree had too many branches with too many blossoms. It could not support the weight of the fruit and the tree broke and was severely damaged.
    Every time I remember my peach tree I remember What Jesus said in John 15:1-4  1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
    The eleven disciples were clean because they embraced Christ’s teaching. They were regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
    When a person believes, they are attached to the true vine.
    Every believer is pruned. And pruning never feels comfortable. But Pruning is necessary for God to continue to work in our lives.
    I hope you desire to bear fruit and because it is your desire to bear fruit you also embrace pruning from The Father.