flyer than angels

pruning and intimacy

From my journal yesterday (4/22):

“Pruning is not a sign of God’s anger, but rather a sign of God’s favor. He’s treating me as a son, and calling me into a deeper place - to abide in Him.

Pruning is really Jesus’ way in John 15 of saying that the Father is making me more holy - by removing the things from my self - and holiness is simply a call to deeper intimacy. But a separation is always implicit in holiness, and intimacy. Moses had to take off his sandals before the burning bush, Joseph had to be washed before he went before Pharoah, Esther had to be ceremonially beautified and cleansed before approaching the king.

Intimacy requires holiness, and holiness requires pruning. You have to leave a part of yourself behind if you want to go deeper with the Lord.

That’s why Jesus speaks in the order that He does, saying that God prunes those who bear fruit, that they may bear more fruit - the product of intimacy, and then speaks to them of abiding in Him. He calling them to deeper levels. He saying, ‘Yeah, you already know me on some level, but it’s time to go deeper. Yet, beloved, that’s going to require you to lose yourself.’

And the level by which you lose of yourself, is the level that you gain in Him.”