by Jim Gordon

While trimming some flowers in our backyard, I accidentally cut a new bloom that had just come out. I tried to replant the root and watered it good, but I noticed within half an hour the bloom was already starting to fade away.

This made me think of the bible verse in John 15:5, ‘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’. Once this nice, colorful bloom was cut from the vine, it could do nothing but wither away.

As followers of Jesus, we are attached to the vine. God is our source of life. As long as we are attached to God, we will grow and mature in our love for God and for one another.

Yet, when we get separated from God (the vine), we will wither and fade in our love for God and for one another.

Notice I am not saying if we separate from the church or from the religion of Christianity, but if we separate from the life and example of Jesus. If we separate from loving God and loving our fellow human beings we will begin to wither in our walk of faith.

Religion and the church organization are man-made ways of learning about God, but they are not necessary parts of living the example of Jesus. The Spirit lives within us and we are the house of God. The Spirit is our teacher and guide and we do not need an intermediate (pastor) to teach us.

Just as the bloom needed the vine to grow, we need connection to our source, the vine who is Jesus. In this way we will continue to grow and share the love of God with others.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: [email protected]