You Will Bear Much Fruit
by Steve Henderson
Title
You Will Bear Much Fruit
Artist
Steve Henderson
Medium
Digital Art - Word Art Painting
Description
Jesus says a lot of things in the gospels that we repeat, maybe even memorize, but don’t really . . . believe.
This has been described as “beautiful nonsense,” words that sound poetic and meaningful but aren’t really meaningful because we don’t accept that they could be true.
One of these is John 15:5 – “Without me, you can do nothing.” Oh, we give lip service to this and aver that we very much believe it, but if you look at the way most people who say they believe Christ’s words act, you don’t see the belief.
“God expects you to get up off your chair and DO something!” we’re constantly told (and preached to), generally with some verse from Proverbs (dealing with lazy sloths versus wise Proverbs 31 women of perfection) slapped on for emphasis.
But the words mean just that – without Him, we can do nothing. We can’t create our next breath. We can’t determine the length of our lives. We can’t even add an inch to our height. And yet, when it comes to living our lives in a brutal world that tumbles people over the rocks, we’re told that God expects us to do much more than we are able to do.
Shortly after the verse in which Jesus tells us that without Him we can do nothing, He says, in 15:8, “You will bear much fruit.”
“Ah, but that’s IF we remain in Him, IF his words remain in us,” the preaching begins, automatically assuming that we cannot do enough, believe enough, be right enough to truly make a difference, with our lives, in the world around us.
But that goes back to our DOING enough – on our own. And we can’t. We just can’t.
Like the two girls in the artwork, You Will Bear Much Fruit, we are limited in our abilities and understanding. We cannot CREATE the fruit that is picked, but we can, with our baskets, approach the vines and gather what we see before us. Our Father in heaven delights in the work of his children’s hands.
We work together, older with younger, stronger with weaker, to gather from the vines. And we bear much fruit.
Featured on 19 Fine Art America groups, including Art Forever with You.
Uploaded
April 17th, 2017
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Comments (48)
Brooks Garten Hauschild
Congratulations on your 1st place win-tie in 'Images With Text', Steve! Beautiful digital art & verse. My pleasure to host the contest! Please share your winning image in our 'PIXELS Promo' thread 'Contest Winners'. Fvl.
Sarah Irland
Congratulations, Steve, on your Win in the Quote Contest for this beautiful painting and message!
Jan Mulherin
Congratulations!! This stunning image has been selected to be featured for the week in the “Art Forever with You – Creative and Unique Outdoor Images” Group Home Page. You are welcome to add a preview of this featured image to the group’s discussion post titled “2021 June: Stunning Group Featured Images and Thank-you’s” for a permanent display within the group, to share this achievement with others. Also feel free to post your feature on our group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/296998814248643/ Thank you for your participation in the group! ~Jan (June 1, 2021)
DEE JOBES PHOTOGRAPHY
Oh so beautiful and precious a Fine Art masterpiece!Great Masterful Artistry,Steve!A Fav!L/F!Sincerely,Mrs Dee Jobes
Diamante Lavendar
Congratulations! Your wonderful art is being featured in Emotive Art Group! Please take a moment to visit the group and archive your work under the feature discussion link provided! ~Diamante
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups nominated images by your fellow artist in the Special Features #16 promotion discussion. Please visit and pass on the love to another artist.....L/F/Tw
Debra and Dave Vanderlaan
Gorgeous! Nominating in the 1000 views group. Celebrate life, Debra and Dave
Debora Lewis
THE MASTERS GROUP OF ARTISTS HAS SELECTED YOUR ARTWORK FOR ITS EXCELLENT COMPOSITION, AND PROVIDING INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FEATURE. L/F.
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