“In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.” Matthew 21:18-19
Anyone else read parts of scripture that seem more painful or challenging than others?
The ones you would rather skip over, BUT because you know that…
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
…you realize that those painful, challenging, even confusing parts have something to say to you too?
I think this is one of them for me. But last year, as I put together the devotions for The Cultivational Planner, I could not get away from this verse. It’s real easy to talk about fruitfulness and producing, but kind of hard to talk about pruning and cursing. Ouch.
I am by no means a professional theologian. I don’t know all of the background and original language. But I know what it has looked like in my life. I can recall the whispers of t heHoly Spirit as I applied these words to the condition of my heart.
Jesus cursed the fig tree because it didn’t produce fruit when he reached for it. I don’t believe this is a statement of condemnation for us but one of direction, warning and an invitation to believe.
We belong to Jesus.
If we say that we are abiding in him and the Holy Spirit is in us, then there should be fruit that we are producing, even if that fruit is still within us, in season and out of season.
In the physical, fruit is seasonal but in the Spirit, fruit is continual and overflows out of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
We must decide that we will not hold back and die, just because it is not the season for outward fruit. We must decide to cultivate what we have, steward it well and be ready to produce, to fight, to pray, to teach, to be…whenever we are called to. We want Jesus to have something to reach for when the moment comes for Him to work through us. That is our challenge but also what is available as we abide.
Identity. Intimacy. Influence. Repeat.
So, what fruit are you producing in this season?
Devotion taken from Week 15 of The Cultivational Planner
