Hey everyone! 

Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update communion meditation.

It seems like every year at this time God reminds me of a story one of our partners taught me about being lifted up by the Spirit. 

In John 15:1-2 Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." 

The Greek word for prune can also be translated as lift up. People will often argue whether God prunes us or lifts us up, but the answer is both.

The partner told a story of pruning and lifting up at the same time. There was a tree with branches that were hanging low, and a tree specialist trimmed off the smaller branches that were protruding out. As he did this it removed some of the weight on the branch and the branch began to immediately lift higher without having to cut the whole thing off. The branch was both pruned and lifted up at the same time. I believe this is what God does for us. Pruning removes the things that are weighing us down and draining our energy and when these are removed, we are lifted up by the Spirit. 

Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is the master gardener. And we are asking him to both prune us and lift us up by the Spirit at the same time, so that the things that are weighing us down are removed.

I am praying for you.

Daniel