the Vinedresser

Vinedresser (noun)

• a person who prunes, trains, and cultivates vines

i romanticize vineyards more than i should, but there is something so lovely to me about them. i imagine a beautiful house on a hill with fields and fields of curated growth surrounding it, all for the purpose of creating something that makes people want to go on an extravagant visit — just for a taste of the hard work and charm that has been done.

in biblical times, wine was something used to celebrate with at weddings, used as a welcoming and honorable gesture in hospitality, used in medicinal purposes, and more.

the special purposes such as these are so neat! but the fulfillment found in these purposes cannot happen unless there is a good Vinedresser from the start.

pruning is the process of removing parts of a plant that will hinder fruitfulness or cause wayward growth. pruning is trimming away unproductive and unnecessary branches for the better health of the vine. a good Vinedresser knows that the life source and nutritional flow for branches comes from the vine that they sprout from.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬

as branches, we are dependent upon the vine for our source of life.

as sinners, we are dependent on Jesus for our source of life.

through Him, the vine, we are filled by His Spirit. being filled by the Spirit we will desire to live closely in tune with Him — abiding in Him.

as branches, we are dependent upon the Vinedresser for pruning us and carefully cultivating us.

notice how the Vinedresser is the one responsible for determining when a branch gets cut. when to let a branch grow. when to harvest the ripe and ready fruit, and when to let the fruit have more time until it becomes good.

the Vinedresser is responsible for everything to do with timing. He is in control of it all because He has the foresight, the skill, and the heart for His vineyard to properly nurture good fruit. the Vinedresser desires goodness in abundance.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

the Vinedresser knows the nature of the soil His plants are rooted in, and He knows what’s good for each and every individual branch. He knows how to cut away the parts holding fruitfulness back, and He knows how to shape the vines against a trellis to keep them supported as they grow.

the Vinedresser, as previously defined, is also someone who trains His vines.

training? what training?

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭

what is it that our Wonderful Counselor has given to us? His Word!

why do we need His Word? well, how else could you expect to grow from the Vine if you aren’t aligned with Him?

the Vinedresser has fully equipped His vineyards with everything it needs in order to thrive in an abundance of life. how good is our God! how perfect is our Vinedresser, and how blessed are we to be a part of His vineyard.

psalm 1 says that when we walk in righteousness (which we have training for!) and delight in God’s Word, that we are blessed. look at the result of abiding in scripture:

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬

now it is up to us to obediently abide with our Vinedresser so that we may be complete and filled with His Spirit, delight in His Word, and thus produce fruit.

with great love,

emily christine