Devotional: Without God: John 15:1-11

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NASB).

After an eighteen year old had used an assault weapon to kill 10 people and injured three other victims, President Joe Biden held a press conference. The president expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He expressed his dismay that there were innocent people losing their lives at the hands of people armed with assault guns. During the press conference the president asked a question. “What in the name of God are we going to do?” My first thought was that the president had used the name of God in vain. Stated differently, the president was using the name of God in a manner that was not reverent to God.

The question asked what could be done in the name of God. Yet, at the same time, we have left God out of the conversation. The president seemed to suggest that the people could find their own solution as long as they forged God’s name to their plans. They did not need to consult God. They did not need to consider His words. They did not have to humble themselves, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. They just needed to sit down together, democrats and republicans, and reach a compromising solution that would at least begin to eliminate the problem.

The president’s words reminded me of the words of Jesus. In John 14-17 Jesus was preparing His disciples to do the work that He had called them to do. Jesus would die on the cross, be raised from the dead, and ascend to the Father. They would need help. He would send the Spirit to live in them—abide in Him so that they would have everything that they needed to do the work assigned for them to do. They could not do their own thing in their own way. No, the Spirit would remind them of the words that He had said to them. The Spirit would give them power to overcome every obstacle that stood in their way. In spite of the many hardships that they would endure they would have peace. The mission would not get any easier, but they would have the comforter abiding in them giving them a sense of well being.

They could not forge His name to their own plans. Forging His name would not validate their decisions. No, they must abide in Him and He must abide in them. Without Him they could do nothing. The same is true for all of us that would do the work that God assigns us to do.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, abide in us as we abide in you so that we can do Your will. Amen.