AUGUST 23 – Reading 235

by John Pra | August 23

“WORTHLESS WOOD”
(Ezekiel 14:1-16:63)

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” – Ezekiel 15:6

“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Ezekiel 15 is sobering. God compares Israel to a vine — not the fruitful kind, but dry, dead wood that cannot be carved, cannot be used, cannot support weight, cannot decorate a temple — only fit for fire. Why such harshness? Because when God plants, nourishes, and blesses a people, and they refuse to bear fruit, their uselessness is not neutral. It’s offensive. It’s rebellion.

God is not ambivalent about barrenness. He created Israel for fruit-bearing — justice, mercy, worship, holiness — and instead He found idolatry, oppression, and pride. So He gives them over to the fire of judgment.

Now this condition refers not only to unbelieving Israel, but extends to fruitless Christians as well. Jesus said that He is the true vine and Christians are the branches. As in Ezekiel’s parable, the branches of the true Vine are expected to bear fruit.

Here’s the weight of this moment: God doesn’t need your wisdom or strength. He doesn’t want your religious appearance or experience. He wants fruit. And the fruit He demands, He supplies in Christ. “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” That’s not a rebuke. It’s a rescue.

This is the terrifying and glorious truth: If you are not abiding in Christ, you are not alive. You are like that dry vine in Ezekiel 15 — fit only for the fire. But if you abide in Christ, you bear fruit — not because you’re able, but because He is.

What is the fruit? Holiness. Love. Joy. Obedience. Christlikeness. A heart that treasures God above all else. It is the miracle of new birth flowing through the living Vine.

And so, the call today is not “Do more!” or “Try harder!” The call is abide. Cling to Christ. Depend on Him. Drink deeply of His Word. Confess your sins quickly. Treasure Him supremely. There is no life apart from Him. But in Him you will bear fruit that lasts forever.

Application 

• God desires spiritual fruit, not jut religious activity.  Just as vine wood is good for nothing apart from bearing fruit, so our lives are to yield the fruit of transformed character and effective witness. Church busyness is meaningless if our lives don’t reflect the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

   

• Abiding in Christ is essential for fruitfulness. Just as a branch must stay connected to the vine to bear fruit, wee must remain in close relationship with Christ through His Word, prayer, obedience, and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Separation from Christ leads to spiritual barrenness.

Closing Prayer
Gracious Father, You are holy, and You desire holiness in Your people. Forgive me for the times I have lived a fruitless life. Cleanse me by Your Word and prune away all that hinders Your work in me. Strengthen me to remain in Christ and to bear fruit that brings You glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.