Abide in me as I abide in you. Just 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. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ~John 15:4,5 (NRSV)
Gardener God,
you have planted and protected us by your faithful hand.
Send us the sap of your grace from Christ, the true Vine,
and make us blossom and bear the fruit of love
as a sign of your life in us.
Let the sweet fragrance of the shoots you have planted
give you praise forever and ever. Amen ~Pilgram Marpeck, p.39
Jesus used the image of the the vine and the branches to describe our relationship with God. To produce fruit, a trellised grape vine requires at least 7 hours of sunlight per day. It needs water 8-10 gallons of water every two to three weeks, the proper amount of nutrients in the soil, support for the vine and regular pruning. The invitation for us is to abide in the vine and make our home in Christ. Prayer is at the heart of a vital and abundant life in Christ.
The theme for our online Lenten Journey is "Living in the Vine". The retreat will begin on Ash Wednesday as preparation for our journey. On Sunday we will open the week with a reflection for that week's theme followed by a blessing on Thursday. Reflections will address the needs of the vine to grow, bloom and bear fruit.
As you begin the retreat, perhaps you could memorize and repeat this sentence prayer several times each day: Abide in me as I abide in you. Repeating this prayer can be a powerful exercise. Let your heart open to the Spirit as you journey through Lent and Easter.
Song: Abide by Carrie Newcomer & Parker Palmer
This Lenten retreat is free and open to everyone. Feel free to share the posts with family and friends you think may enjoy them.
We welcome donations of $25-30 towards Sacred Rhythms programs.
Please make checks payable and send to Donna at:
Donna Holstein
2917 Village Green Lane
Eagleville, PA 19403
If you prefer using PayPal to make a donation, please contact Linda at lwitmer50@gmail.com.
We look forward to having you join us!!
Blessings,
Donna and Linda
Resources:
Kropf, M. & Hall, E. (1994). Praying with the Anabaptists: The Secret of Bearing Fruit. Newton, KS: Faith & Life Press
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