Sunday Celebration - A Father's Smile

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:5-8 NIV). 

These verses are some of the first verses I memorized without the promise of a candy reward. I remember they were fairly easy for me to memorize because they spoke my language.  

You see, my dad was a recreational gardener and he could grow anything. Like most little girls, I thought everything my daddy did was amazing. As I shadowed him, and he shared his love for gardening with me, I caught his passion. From the first time I planted a seed and watched it grow - I was hooked! 

I'm my daddy's girl ... I have his green thumb. 

I say that not to brag. Because, it has nothing to do with me. The skills I learned - came from my father. He taught me. He invested in me. When I would say, I have my dad's green thumb, he would smile ear to ear. 

Who doesn't want to see their daddy smile????

Did you know your Heavenly Father smiles?

Yep, look at verse 8.

It brings glory to our Heavenly Father when we (His children) bear much fruit. 

How do we do that? 

We shadow Jesus. Watching and learning from Him, we catch His passion. Our love for Him gives us a desire to be like Him. We begin to see people as He sees them. We begin to love people as He loves them. We bear MUCH fruit. 

That makes our Heavenly Father smile. 

Again I say, who doesn't like to make their daddy smile? : )