You Are a Branch
Do you try to accomplish anything without Jesus?
Verse of the Day
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
Today’s Devotional
These are the words of Jesus. It’s important for us to realize that our true identity begins and ends in Jesus.
Imagine that you accidentally severed your pinky finger. Instead of scooping it up, putting it on ice, and rushing to the hospital, you decide to leave the finger unattached. To make matters worse, you still expect that pinky finger to function and do everything it did when it was attached to your body. Does that sound ridiculous?
Do we ever do the same thing with Jesus?
Part of our identity is that each of us is an extension of Jesus. We are to remain attached to Him at all times. Just like your pinky finger needs to be attached to your body to be functional, you must remain attached to Jesus to produce anything good.
The world would like each of us to believe that we are living for ourselves. But that is a lie. Attached to Jesus, we are branches of the most beautiful vine. As branches, we are nourished, sustained, and productive in the name of Jesus. Apart from Jesus, this life is a useless rat race.
It’s a gift that we are not asked to live this life alone. It is God’s hand of blessing that our identity is attached to Jesus. With Him, we can produce the kind of lives that will draw others to his love. Because that’s who we are.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Have you experienced times in your life when you didn’t feel attached to Jesus?
How does Jesus nourish and sustain you?
What “fruit” has Jesus produced in your life?
How can you share the goodness of Jesus with others today?