The Pursuit and the Fruit

The branch doesn’t stare at the fruit. It remains in the Vine.

It began with a worship song.

The plea was beautiful:

“Draw me closer.”
“Pull me deeper.”

Yet a question arose.

The song was addressed to the Holy Spirit, but I could not remember hearing the name of Jesus.

That did not immediately make the song wrong.

But it made me stop.

Closer to whom?
Deeper into what?

Let the Word Govern

Music can move us deeply.

Words, melody, repetition and atmosphere can awaken powerful emotions. Emotion is not wrong. Scripture itself is filled with joy, sorrow, longing and wonder.

But being moved is not proof that something is true.

Our emotions can respond to truth, but they cannot determine truth.

So we went to the Word.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit:

“He will glorify Me...”
John 16:14

The direction became clearer.

The Spirit does not compete with Jesus for our gaze.

He glorifies Jesus.

“Draw me closer” now had direction.

But what about deeper?

What Does Scripture Call Deep?

Paul prays that believers would be strengthened through His Spirit in the inner person, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.

Then he speaks of comprehending:

“the width and length and height and depth...”
Ephesians 3:18

Depth into what?

The love of Christ.

Biblical depth is not simply greater spiritual intensity.

The Holy Spirit takes us deeper into Christ.

When Experience Becomes the Pursuit

There can be a subtle shift from:

“I want Christ”

to:

“I want the feeling Christian experiences give me.”

Then we begin asking:

Was I moved?
Did I feel God’s presence?
Did I receive something?

Those questions may arise from genuine hunger.

But experience can quietly become what we consume.

And depth becomes confused with intensity.

Emotion may accompany truth. It may beautifully respond to truth.

We may behold Christ and weep.

We may behold Christ and rejoice.

But we may also trust, obey and remain in Him when we feel very little at all.

Christ has not become less true because our emotions are quiet.

Our assurance rests upon what He has spoken.

Even Good Things Are Not the Destination

Transformation.

Obedience.

Surrender.

Holiness.

Fruitfulness.

Spiritual depth.

Even discernment.

All are important.

But none is the destination.

Jesus said:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life...”
 John 14:6

Truth ultimately brings us to a Person.

Jesus.

And suddenly we had arrived again at the Vine.

Don’t Stare at the Fruit

Jesus said:

“Remain in Me, and I in you.”
 John 15:4

And something became wonderfully simple.

The branch doesn’t stare at the fruit.
The branch remains in the Vine.

Transformation is fruit.

Obedience is fruit.

Surrender is fruit.

Love is fruit.

Even our emotions can be fruit.

But none of them is the Vine.

Jesus is.

The Vine produces.

The branch abides.

And the Father receives the glory.

The Pursuit and the Fruit

We began with:

“Draw me closer.
Pull me deeper.”

The Word asked:

Closer to whom?
Deeper into what?

The Holy Spirit directed our gaze to the Son.

And in the Son, we saw the Father.

We followed the question through the Word, and the Word led us back to Jesus.

Christ is the pursuit.
Everything else is the fruit.

The journey didn’t terminate in discernment, doctrine, emotion, worship methodology, transformation, or even fruit.

It terminated in the Vine.

And there we remain.

Soli Deo Gloria

Prayer

Father, thank You for giving us Your Son and Your Spirit.

Holy Spirit, thank You for directing our gaze to Jesus and glorifying Him.

Jesus, thank You for revealing the Father.

Keep our gaze upon Christ. Teach us to remain in Him, trusting Your Word rather than making our experiences the measure of truth. May the fruit come from remaining in the Vine, and may all the glory return to You.

---