The church is in a season of supernatural growth and harvest. To accept our assignment, we must be in alignment. And it starts in the garden.
Jesus had just washed His disciples’ feet, instituted the Lord’s Supper, and now walked with them to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would pray and later be arrested. The next day, He would be on a cross. Jesus chose an object lesson from a nearby arbor. The vines were starting a season of growth, tended by a vinedresser. Jesus encourages His disciples to “abide” in Him as branches connected to a living vine (John 15:4-5).
Grafting is joining two plants together so tightly that they grow as one. The branch, called a scion, is bound to the trunk of another plant, the rootstock (Isaiah 11:1). Grafting improves growth rates, increases hardiness, and accelerates fruitfulness. Taking our cue from the garden, here are several keys to ensure successful spiritual alignment:
Branches compatible with the rootstock must be cut while fully dormant for the highest success rate. Jesus prayed beautiful words of alignment in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42, ESV). God will not bless our will; He wants to align us with His will. Jesus told Peter, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41, ESV). Willing and weak wrestled in the garden. Prayer aligns the motivation of our life with the movement of God.
The vinedresser peels the bark at the joint of the two plants to align the cambium, a thin ribbon of active cells that produce fluid and food-conducting tissues. Alignment requires wounding but brings healing. Jesus is the healer of our mind, body, and soul (Isaiah 53:4-6, Hebrews 4:12). When you position yourself in Him, Heaven’s resources are available.
In every vineyard, there are opportunities for discouragement. Weeds thrive, insects feast, and disease spreads. Similarly, elements in life can hinder fruitfulness. Align with Heaven. Stay focused and faithful, and you will be fruitful.
