Andrew Murray once told a story of a grape vine in London that would bear thousands of bunches of grapes. The people were always astonished at the amount of grapes this vine would bear with such large growth. It was soon discovered what was the cause of it. Not very far away ran the River Thames. The vine had stretched its roots hundreds of yards underground until it had come to the riverside and there, in the rich slime of the riverbed, had found rich soil full of nourishment and obtained moisture. The roots had drawn the sap all that distance, up and up, into the vine. As a result, there was an abundant, rich harvest. 

When Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches,” He was giving us a picture of what real spiritual growth looks like (John 15:5). The vine does all the work, while the job of the branch is to stay attached to the vine. Without the attachment, there can be no growth. As we teach a Bible study, raise a child, feed the poor, take care of the sick, or step into a multitude of other callings God may place on our lives, we must understand that all the responsibility of the work is on Christ. In all our work, including our own spiritual growth, Christ is the One who works in us for His good pleasure. 

The branch does not come to the vine to get a “measure” of sap for the day. The branch is hour by hour, minute by minute, receiving from the vine. So, we too, must live hour by hour, conscious of our complete and utter dependence upon Jesus to be our all in all. 

When John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” he understood this principle (John 3:30). The more we are aware of our helplessness to do anything in our own strength, the more Jesus can move through us in His power and strength to accomplish His purpose through us. Andrew Murray said, “If I am something, then God is not everything. When I become nothing, then God can become all.”