Fruitful

Veraison...it's happening.

What is that you ask?  Good question.

Right now all around me here in the Willamette Valley, wine grapes such as Pinot Noir are changing from green to dark purple. This is something that happens each year around late August and early September.

What does that mean? It's a special moment when the grapes stop growing and start ripening - developing great flavors and sugar (called 'brix).

In fact, according to Wikipedia (must be true...it's on the Internet...):  

Fête de la Véraison is a medieval festival held in the famous winemaking village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Every year at this time it makes me think of changes in us - as we grow and mature in Christ and bear fruit to bless the world. 

Jesus told His followers that connection to Him as the vine allows the fruit to flow from us:

4 ‘Remain in me, and I will remain in you! The branch can’t bear fruit by itself, but only if it remains in the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. People who remain in me, and I in them, are the ones who bear plenty of fruit. Without me, you see, you can’t do anything.

6 ‘If people don’t remain in me, they are thrown out, like a branch, and they wither. People collect the branches and put them on the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want, and it will happen for you. 8 My father is glorified in this: that you bear plenty of fruit, and so become my disciples.’

John 15:4-8 from the New Testament for Everyone by NT Wright

May we stay close to Jesus and bear the beautiful fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control!

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash