Today I was extremely busy as a son and his family are going to be living here with us for a couple of weeks and our home is not child proof. And being a one bedroom I needed to make room for more bodies. So I tackled our bedroom which has the only room with a window that the sun shines in. Sunshine cheers me and gives me energy.
As I use our bedrooms for our office and my painting easels and painting supplies, frames and such this required a lot of work and many hours of restructuring. When it was complete I lay down to get my wind back and cool off and was gazing out the window with the sunshine streaming in upon the two plants I had on the sill. I looked at the two trees outside the window and gave thanks to God for them and praised Him for letting them be there. I was reminded of when Jesus came upon the fig tree and it did not have fruit for him. It had much growth yet nothing of sustanance to feed the weary traveler. It was cursed and died.
I looked at my trees that give me so much all year long. In the summer they are full of leaves and their branches reach up reminding me to keep looking up to the Lord and raising my arms in His praises. They shelter my little window from too much sunshine on the hotest of days while letting in enough to gladden my soul.
In the fall the leaves turn the most beautiful of colors bringing great joy to me and anyone who walks or drives by them and to those who come to visit me. Even sharing their leaves with my guests and allowing me to use them in my decorations. I hunger for the fall every year to see the glorious reds and pink reds that shower me with such beauty.
In the winter the leaves fall slowly. Often slower than the other trees in on the road, holding their colors long after most have lost theirs as if they knew I needed the shelter of the leaves as I ran to and fro from the care to the house. Then the snow comes and when it is heavey as it was this year they hold the snow so I can enjoy it's glittering beauty from the comfort of my little window and they allow the birds to sit and sing to me. This year a crow brought a tool (piece of wood) to wipe some of the snow off of the limbs as if to help the tree directly in front of my window. When the sun shines the bare limbs graciously allow the sun to shine into our room bringing winter cheer into our little home.
I thought of all of this as I lay there and thought what is the fruit of these trees?
Yet that is not the most important question I should have been comtemplating. If the fig tree is us or our nation as it was the nation of Isreal in the Lord's day, then am I bearing much fruit or just full of leaves. Leaves that seem to be good for those around, leaves that give shade and rest to those going through my life? There are many so called Christians (we all know some) who seem to be everything they should be. They serve at church, work in ministries, give money, even pay tithe and work in charities. Yet they do not really believe all they say. They even quote the Bible with great accuracy. Yet the fruit is in the life they lead and do they bear much fruit? Do they live the Word of God and lead others to the Lord?
We all must look at our lives this way and be honest with ourselves as to where we stand and are we saved and if not friend I pray all who read this will give their lives to the Lord Jesus and stand on the Word of Christ Jesus who is the Rock. Only He can change us, grow us and help us to bear much fruit. May you all know Him who loves you and accept His sacrifice of grace. Amen
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