And My Father is the vindresser. (John 15:1)

Jesus referred to Himself as the true vine, but He called His Father the Vindresser - one who cultivates and prunes grape vines. The vindresser's job is to bring forth the highest quality fruit he can from the vine. He does this by lifting up the branches and trellising them in the springtime so they will receive the greatest exposure to the sun. After the fruit sets, he removes leaves around the matruing fruit again to ensure that it receives the most sunlight possible. Finally, after the fruit is harvested, he prunes the branches back in preparation for the next season, leaving only those canes that received the greatest exposure to the sun.

God does the same His children throughout the different seasons of their lives. Some seasons are for trellising our branches. The Father gently and lovingly lifts us up so we will have full access to the Son. Other seasons are for pruning back our branches. The Father, through the trials of our lives, cuts off those parts of us that are taking energy away from the fruit bearing process, so in the coming season we will bear good fruit.

God's children are His garden of delight. He will watch over us, tend to us and care for us in order that we might glorify Him through the bearing of good fruit.