⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. (John 15:4 CSB)

Much like a plant thrives when it is close to a source of water, we thrive when we are close to the source of life.

This world can often make it feel like we are just surviving. To actually thrive we must remain close to the source of life which is Christ. Through Him we produce our best fruit, apart from him we wither and die.

Now you may think that that last statement is over the top. That we surely do not wither and die without Christ. You can point out many successful people who live without God in their lives at all. True, the rain falls on the just and the unjust.

But I would ponder on their internal state, not to mention their eternal state. I have encountered many very unhappy successful people. People who literally had everything, but were dead inside. They had this God sized hole in them.

These were not bad people. They were just lost. And hurting, even they did not know they were. Money and status can cover a multitude of hurt.

You see, being far from the source of life makes for a hollow life. Oh, that life may have all the trappings of being lived to the fullest, but the hole inside persist.