1013 Where Life Comes From - John 15:1

Do you ever think deeply about where your life came from?   "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser." John 15:1 ESV   Think about all the things leading up to today that you had no say in. You didn't get to choose to come to life - the day, the time, the parents, nationality, skin color, height. Our life comes from someone or somewhere else.   Jesus makes the vine analogy. He and the disciples had left the room where they had the last supper (see John 14:31). Jesus is saying this as they walk. I imagine they walked past a vine of some kind. Also, Israel was considered a vine in the old testament. Jesus is establishing a new idea. Jesus is the vine. Life comes from him. Let's focus on that today.   The vine is life. Have you ever thought about life? It came from outside of you. God, the vine dresser, gave you life. If all life comes from Jesus, which he seems to suggest here, people who don't want anything to do with him will eventually be thrown off and burned up.   If Jesus is the life, and that life is in us, we have a job to do: live. By living connected to Jesus, we help others see the benefits and joy of living connected to him. We're always loved. We're forgiven. We have a heavenly father who is always working for good.   So how does Jesus show up in your life today? What can you do to make him visible? Why not ask him for some direction? Our first daily activity on the Marketplace Mission Trip is to pray and we're starting one of those today. Ask Jesus to show you what he would have you do today. Step two: do it!   Let's spend a few days talking about the remainder of John 15 and see where Jesus takes us. In the meantime, ask God what he would have you do today and then do it.