"Remain in me, and I will 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5).

The call to Christ is a call to a disciplined dependency. The words 'discipline' and 'dependency' balance each other. Whereas, 'dependency' reminds us that without Christ we can do nothing, 'discipline' reminds us that we are called to take responsibility for maintaining that existing relationship. Jesus explained that He is the vine and we are the branches. The branches are absolutely dependent upon the vine for its life and identity. But Jesus also commanded his disciples to remain in Him. This does not happen automatically. It requires discipline. The Greek word for abide, or remain, is 'meno'. He uses forms of the word twelve times in this chapter. It can be translated 'continue, dwell, tarry or stay put'. (I like that, 'stay put').

The Christian life is not one where we have to work independently. "Come unto me ..take my yoke upon you." A yoke partners us together with Christ in service. Christian discipleship requires our full cooperation through both the trust and obedience of faith. Both dependency and discipline.

Discipline: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). Dependency: "It is God who works in you both to will and do of His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13). "Faithful is He who calls you who also will do it." (1Thessalonians 5:24). "I go with you to the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20).

We warn everyone we meet, and we teach everyone we can, all that we know about him, so that, if possible, we may bring every man up to his full maturity in Christ Jesus. (Discipline). This is what I am working at all the time, with all the strength that God gives me. (Dependency). (Colossians 1:28-29 J.B. Phillips paraphrase)

There is a danger in the popular philosophy to 'let go and let God'. It implies that we need to be dependent, but it fails to speak the truth about our need to be disciplined. We must be ready to take action, to joyfully implement the will of our Master. "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love." (John 15:10).

It takes discipline to 'stay put' in a position of dependency. Brother Lawrence wrote about his discipline of affirming the Lord's presence with him as he worked in a hospital kitchen in 17th century Paris. Our society has continually chooses to drink from broken cisterns rather than the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2:13). Misplaced dependency is sin. It takes discipline to stay at the true fountain.

Henri Nouen noted: "In the spiritual life, discipline describes the effort it takes to create some space in which God can work." As society spends more time with machines, diversions and busyness rather than with other people or God, we need to put a stake in the ground and create space to experience God.

To practice the presence of God; to be in the mind to say 'yes' to God, to purposefully and restfully abide in Christ, takes discipline. To know His power working through us takes dependency.

Creating space for God to surprise me,