Refillable Faith

I love Walt Disney World. There’s just something about it that brings a smile to my face. Whether it’s riding my favorite attraction, watching a show or sitting down for a meal, being there with my family is one life’s great joys.


Last summer I had the pleasure of taking the girls on their first trip to this place that I came to love as a child. We had an incredible time, and seeing the joy in the girls’ eyes was truly, if you’ll pardon the expression, magical. We stayed in the Pop Century resort and the girls were enamored by the themed pools, giant icons, bubble jets, and eye popping colors.

Me? I was enamored by the food court.

This should really come as no surprise to those who know me. If you’ve ever been behind me at a potluck, you know that nothing gets me going like a full spread of chow. The food court at our resort did not disappoint. There were tons of delectable offerings and incredible desserts. Take for example this little diddy, the tie-dyed cheesecake.

Yet of all the food court offerings up for bid, none was quite so great as the refillable mug. This little cup of wonder no only had a handle and spill proof lid, it came with the added bonus of unlimited refills for the duration of our stay. It was like a little red insulated ticket to Joyville.

Every morning, I made the trek down to the food court to start my day with a healthy dose of glorious caffeination. When we would hit the pools, I’d fill up the mugs so we’d be nice and refreshed when we got out of the water. After we got back from a hard day of park touring, a cup of iced tea was just the thing to top off the day.

Our mugs were great. I LOVED having them. However, they did have a limitation. They were only good at our resort and only for the length of our stay. If I tried to refill the mug somewhere else, it wouldn’t work. When I got home, I couldn’t bring it to 7-11 and get a free refill any time I wanted. None of my favorite fast food joints would accept it. Even the food court in the mall can’t give me a free refill in it. The refills only lasted as a long as I remained at the resort.

In John, chapter 15, Jesus shares the following.

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He 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. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain 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.


5"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. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. *

Like my mug which cannot gain free refills when it leaves the resort, so too the Christian can not bear fruit outside of the one by whose blood we have been redeemed. Christ makes it clear that our hope lie in remaining a part of Him. To have His spirit flowing through us, filling us, guiding us and bringing growth within us is truly the only way

It’s not always easy. The Word says that the father prunes the branches with fruit so that they will bear even more fruit. Pruning hurts. Sometimes we mistake it and wonder why God is allowing us to go through it. Yet, after the scars are formed and the seasons have changed, we can look back and see the gentle hand of the Master.

In those times when our lives are not what we thought they would be and it seems like our worlds are crumbling in, hold tight to the promise of this passage. If we remain in Christ, he WILL remain in us. He will not remove us, He will not forsake us, He will not abandon us.

Verse 8 tells us that it is God’s glory that we bear fruit. God is faithful and His Word is true. We can take joy in knowing that in Him, we will be limitlessly filled until in the words of David, our cup runneth over. And that is the sweetest joy of all.

Prayer – My prayer this week is that you remain in Christ and the He will bear much fruit in you.

Scripture for this Week – John 15:1-17, John 4:1-26, Psalm 23.

* New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica