Romans 11:19-23. “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.
22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.
I have been thinking about the grafting process for the past few days. My dad had open heart bypass surgery. The pain he endured was extreme. Even after several months he would have pains. A visit to the doctor opened his eyes when explained that a bypass involves grafting and it takes time to heal. If he does not follow the advice of the doctor, the activities he is doing could blow the graft. If it breaks, he is...dead.
I read that plant graft take on average 14 days to heal. As I have pondered the grafting process, I wonder how this translates to our spiritual life. Sometimes it seems that when we come to faith in Jesus, we are grafted in and it's done. At other times, it seems when we come to faith in Jesus, that the grafting process takes time. Even if we considered the parable of the seeds on different ground, only the ones that fall on good ground produce a harvest. A graft does not always survive. For success, it requires a connection of vascular fibers to be formed. There certainly appears to be a parallel to our life being grafted as mentioned in Romans 11.
To me this is a sobering thought and causes me to evaluate the importance of discipleship. So many new to faith end up falling away, as if the graft did not take. I don't discount that God can ensure the graft will be successful. At the same time, the scriptural principles appear to be required to keep from dying or being cut off. For example, John 15:4-11 says Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
To me this is a sobering thought and causes me to evaluate the importance of discipleship. So many new to faith end up falling away, as if the graft did not take. I don't discount that God can ensure the graft will be successful. At the same time, the scriptural principles appear to be required to keep from dying or being cut off. For example, John 15:4-11 says Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Abiding...according to Merriam Webster defines abiding as continuing for a long time.
I am thankful for the supernatural interventions where God's power changes something in an instant. I can only testify to a few things in my own life when that is true. The majority of the time, the good work God is doing in my life is a journey, one that requires time to heal, time of abiding.
Being grafted in, may life continue to flow from the vine to this branch and may my life bear fruit.
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