“The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: Neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, So the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; And the place thereof shall know it no more.”
Psalm 103:8-16 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.103.8-16.KJV
The Great Connection
If you’ve ever been to a vineyard, you know they are not only beautiful, but also fascinating. Imagine rows and rows of grape-bearing vines, rooted on rolling hills—its produce harvested and distributed as table grapes, grape juice, wine, raisins, jellies, jams, and more.
Jesus often used real-life examples to explain spiritual truths and, in John 15, vineyards were at the center of His analogy…
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4 NLT
In the surrounding passages, Jesus makes it clear that He, the Son, is the vine; His Father, God, is the gardener; and we, His people, are the branches—thriving or dying depending on our connection to the source.
You could also think about it this way:
Your phone won’t continue to function if it’s not charged. But when it’s plugged into a charger, which is connected to the ...