“Arise, let us go from here. I am the true vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser” (John 14:31-15:1).

Jesus had just told His disciples of many amazing comings and goings: “My Father and I will come; the Holy Spirit will come; I am going away and coming back to you; these things I have told you are coming; the ruler of this world is coming; let us go.”  It was enough to trouble the disciples, and I imagine, enough to cause them relief when they heard abide-in-the-vine language.

Though inexperienced with fruit-bearing vines, the flowering vines covering the front of my house remind me daily of my true home.  My true home is in the True Vine, and here I abide, a branch.  If through all the cosmic comings and goings in heaven and on earth the True Vine trembles nary a twig, then here I gladly abide and trust the abilities of the Vinedresser.

It is something wonderful to be a branch in this vine. The branches of this vine draw life from Christ.  They bend low not beneath the weight of the world, but (how beautiful!) beneath the weight of His love and peace.  Just a branch?  Yes, just a blessed branch!

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it" (Genesis 28:16).

The story goes that Jacob was travelling to Padan Aram to marry one of Laban’s daughters.  More than a day’s journey, we are told that when the sun had set Jacob decided to find a place to lie down to sleep.  He pulled up a rock to lay his head upon, stretched himself out on the ground and, I imagine, mentioned the purpose of his trip in his prayers that night.

Certainly, he logically prepared to overnight.  With the commonest of sense, he found a suitable place, as natural as the ground and as ordinary as a rock, to sleep on.  There he became unmistakably aware of the presence of the Lord and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

This brings to mind others whose stories speak the same theme from places as normal as a wedding feast, on old well and a boat in stormy weather. Once they knew where the wine came from, the servants at the wedding at Cana could well have said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”  After speaking with Jesus at the well, the Samaritan woman essentially said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”  After hearing Jesus say, “It is I,” as He approached the boat in the storm, the disciples too would have said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 

It seems to me that while water has never been changed into wine in my kitchen, some of the best meals have come from near-empty cupboards.  Is the Lord not involved in this?  And what of those daily places where Jesus reminds me to drink from Him?  And what of the storms which buffet my boat?  I would rather not be in a storm in the dark and four miles from shore, but the Word, “It is I,” assures. 

Most of our daily preparations, decisions and doings are as automatic as the setting sun and as normal as dirt, yet in these earthy places, heaven is at hand.    At day’s end we can lie down and say, "Surely the Lord was with me in all these places, and I did not always know it." 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“…but also if you say to this mountain, ’Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will done” (Matthew 21:18-22).

A hungry Jesus had just withered with a word a fig tree with no figs.  I don’t know why, except, perhaps, to bring graphic imagery to mind when we think about prayer and fruit that nourishes His body.  When the disciples saw it, healthy one day withered the next, they marveled, “How did it wither away so soon?”  Then Jesus said to them, “If you have faith, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.” 

I have wondered about “this mountain.”  Where did the mountain come in?  Weren’t they talking about a fig tree?  Perhaps Jesus is referring to the fig tree He just withered.  A fig tree is very large, but even larger is what this dead, figless tree stands for.  It stands for everything fruitless in our lives that must be put to death.  Scripture says, “Put to death uncleanness, immortality, evil desires, covetousness, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language and lying.”  These are mountainous!  They are put to death no other way than by Christ saying, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.”  If we share Christ’s hunger for fruitfulness, then we will have appetite to ask Him to wither what is fruitless in our lives, no matter how flourishing it looks.  We have His word that He will, so let’s not marvel when He does.  Immediately pray its removal, to be cast into the sea, before it becomes an object of sentiment. 

As sometimes happens when I meditate on God’s Word, I dreamed it.  I saw no fruit behind a flourish of large green leaves.  In the dream I knew they represented selfishness.  “Wither it, Lord!  Wither it!” I woke praying.  Now, “Remove this mountain and cast it into the sea.”

Christ’s divine power gives all that pertains to life and godliness.  If these things are yours and abound, then you will be neither barren nor unfruitful.  When Christ weaves His fingers though the foliage of your life, does He discover figs?  Is the body of Christ being nourished by the fruit of your life?  Has the fruit become so ripe, full and sweet that it simply falls into His hand?  He will feed it to His body.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Marvelous words, these, addressing not a long and faithful follower who would endure crucifixion for the sake of His righteousness, but a last minute confessor enduring crucifixion for the sake of his sin.  Christ, Who speaks not condemnation but redemption to death-bound but confessing criminals like us, is the same Who always lives to make intercession for us.  And Christ’s prayers are never refused.  They are the core and creed, sum and substance of our Christian life.  His prayers carry the weight of truth and run deception through, smack down the middle.  Christ intersects our sin with His grace, our shame with His glory, hopelessness with His promises, legalistic living with freedom in Him, the fear of man with the fear of God, condemnation with redemption, death with life.

Is there anything more credible than when Christ says “I tell you the truth?”  Is there any life larger  than the “today with Me in paradise” life? Christ intersects today with His kingdom and, praise God, we are influenced by His intercessory prayers!  We can rejoice saying, “Oh, but I agree with Your prayers for me!”

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“’I had it in my heart to build…and made preparations to build it. But God said….’” (I Chronicles 28: 2-3).

David had it in his heart to build the temple.  He made preparations for it and, by the hand of God upon his own, the blueprint was architected, the work assigned and the materials weighed for all the articles used in every kind of service in the temple.  He was the chief facilitator of the work.  He gathered, gave, prepared and prayed, but he was not to build.  God chose Solomon his son to build, and clearly David wondered if Solomon knew God, if he would serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind, with courage and strength.  As Israel’s king, David led the leaders and requisitely shared his conviction with the king to be, then released all to God in prayer. 

Do you have it in your heart to build something for God?  Is it in your heart to gather the resources and to give over and above from your own special treasure for it?  Is it in your heart to release just as joyfully as you accepted the plan God gave you for the work into the hand of another to do?  And what if, like David, your days came to an end before seeing the completion of what was in your heart to build for God?  If you have a heart like David’s, then it’s in your heart and it’s okay.

Such a heart is interested not in its own ambitions but in God’s plans, in promoting God to others, in praying for and presenting loyal hearts to God, and in leaving behind an inheritance that provides for sons and daughters, households, leaders and kings to come into the presence of God.  He is building in our hearts far more than what we may have in our hearts to build for Him.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).

He is known as Doubting Thomas, but it seems to me that Hoping Thomas is a more accurate name for this loyal and inquiring apostle of Christ.  It was Thomas who would have returned to Bethany with Jesus into near-certain death in order to be with Him; Thomas who, during the Last Supper, inquired where Jesus was speaking of going and how he could know the way, and Thomas who was eager to believe that the disciples’ report was true.  They claimed to have seen Christ resurrected and, could it be, this Christ was now standing before him? Perhaps the infamous “Unless I see, I will not believe” was less an expression of doubt and more an expression of hoping against hope.  The invitation was given to see for himself, but before he could reach out his hand he fell to the floor and answered, “My Lord and my God!” 

Revelation comes at His invitation and confirmation is given to those who purpose to see Jesus standing before them at every juncture.  He stands in the midst of our fears, confusions, disappointments and less-than-magnificent moments.  Yet, when doubt assails hope prevails in those who are as ready as Thomas to believe.  Like Thomas, the other disciples needed to see Christ’s hands and side and were glad to believe, but Thomas alone fell down and proclaimed the presence of the Lord. 

Look!  He stands before you now!  Don’t be incredulous, but purpose to see Him.  Fall down and proclaim the presence of the Lord your God even here. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“But when he came out, he could not speak to them...” (Luke 1:22).

Long ago a certain priest, Zacharias, was chosen by lot to burn incense when he went into the temple.  He entered the temple, burned incense at the altar, got alone with God in prayer, and was dumbfounded.  His prayer was heard. 

It is good to get alone with God, but when God gets us alone with Himself it is on His initiative, not ours.  It is good to voice before Him the words we find that fit the soul, but God’s Word leaves us speechless.  It is good to know that God hears our prayers, but be ready to hear God.  Often what God says is more than we can make sense of.  To the divine, “I have spoken; it is so”, there is nothing more to say except, perhaps, “How?”

Inner commotions congregate gregariously at the altar until we are silenced by God’s Word.  Has He left you dumbstruck?  He is getting you absolutely alone with Himself.  Linger long.  You will emerge as Zacharias emerged, saturated and peaced. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig