A Silent Weekend Away

John 15: 1-17 

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this:  to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last -- and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command:  Love each other."

"Give your servant lebh shomea (a listening heart)
so as to be able to discern" 1 Kings 3:9


This passage was put on our hearts and minds last weekend, soon after we arrived at Lebh Shomea, a House of Prayer, and a place that gave us the opportunity to be silent in the presence of our Creator. The specific part of this passage that has kept reoccurring in my head is in verse 5 when Jesus says, "...apart from me you can do nothing." I have to constantly remain in Christ because without Him I am nothing. Apart from Christ the efforts we make in our day to day lives are unfruitful. I had to ask myself a pretty tough question:  am I receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine?

We each had our own "dwellings"

Over the weekend of silence and solitude I learned a lot about myself along with being able to rest and find a sense of peace I haven't felt in a while. Being silent and alone is something I look forward to doing more. However, I need to mention the fact that at Lebh Shomea we weren't always alone. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner we were sitting across from strangers along with being silent. It was a unique experience and a lot easier than I thought it would be to not talk to people when I'm sitting at a table of 6.

Seeing as we were in Sarita, Texas (just south of Corpus Christi), Chelsey, Traci, Bari, and I decided to drive down to the beach before heading back to College Station. It was a great way to end our weekend and a great start to our somewhat long car ride back home!