A gardener devotes time, attention, and care to his garden. He tills, he sows, he waters, he feeds, he weeds, he watches for and eradicates insects or other creatures that might threaten the garden. It’s a never ending responsibility, and one that the Father has taken on willingly. Listen to the words of Jesus: 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  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.” 

Here Jesus says that God the Father, as a gardener, had to prune away unfruitful branches. Jesus has unfruitful branches? How could that be? Listen further…

“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. If 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

So God, as a loving Father and diligent Gardener, wants to prune away those things in our lives which are unfruitful. All we must do is remain in Jesus, and God will help us to be fruitful.