And I thank the Lord...

I had a conversation tonight that sparked the image I'm going to try to verbalize/share below : 

 

When we eat an apple, we can ( as is most common ) simply discard the core with the seeds. Fun Fact Freebie *did you know that apple seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide and if too many of them got chewed/crushed and ingested, they COULD kill a person?*

- OR- 

We can plant them. Change its environment ( from inside of the apple, just being sustained, not thriving) to something completely new - soil, loaded with nutrients- and watch the seed thrive and grow and make MORE apples and MORE seeds...

I see us (the children of God) as the seeds. 

Instead of discarding us, despite our propensity to cause disaster among ourselves when left alone, and having no means to survive or even simply sustain ourselves long-term, 

he graciously planted us in himself. 

• We were no longer "discards" but now, full of limitless potential. 
• We now can rely on HIM, our soil to sustain us, as we simply abide. 
• But not just sustain... but flourish and thrive. And bear much much fruit. 

John 15 makes it clear :

7) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

8)This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9)"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

16)You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. 

Matthew 7 takes it further...

16You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

and Matthew goes on to reiterate the importance of abiding in the vine to produce fruit and not of ourselves. Not by might or power, but of the Spirit.  Spirit produces Spirit fruit. 

(see James 3...11 Can clean water and dirty water both flow from the same spring? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt water?)

Thankfully, by Grace, when we simply abide in the Spirit, we can be assured we are producing like fruit, and His love will be known!