Nothing apart from Him

I was reading John 15 this morning then I attended sunday school. Some of the content seem to connect together.

John 15: 1- 11

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.

Mere Christian Chapter 8 mentioned that there was a terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy. God "made us : invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on gasoline, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human engine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirit were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing".

God did two things : created humans to run on fuel and made Himself the fuel. And John 15 is touching on the same point. Because God is to be our fuel, don't think about functioning properly without him (v4). Stay connected to Him and you will find life more wholesome than ever. Ask and you will know (v7) - that it is in Him that you will find the love and peace that no one can provide. Your joy can only be complete there and no where else.