BE FRUITFUL
REPLENISH: FILL UP WITH GOD’S GOODNESS AND LIVE FULFILLED - DAY 1
I still remember the disappointment when we learned of a hidden disease. The Florida Department of Agriculture served notice on my grandparents that their orange tree would have to come down because the tasty fruit had apparently been infected by canker. My family lamented the loss, but we were informed that eventually, the tree would stop producing fruit and become totally barren. Sadly, we now know that the government’s effort to wipe out the disease did not work, and the blight of canker still persists to this day.
God placed us here on earth and charged us to “be fruitful.” The implication here is more than merely cultivating the ground and harvesting some crops. God has blessed us with all the spiritual resources we need to flourish as His divine image bearers in this world. As we work in our community and love our people, we reflect His creativity and compassion.
Maybe you feel as if you are failing miserably in this assignment. Sometimes we liken ourselves to that tree in my grandparent’s backyard — an invisible poison has infected our souls and impacted our fruitfulness. We end up working hard to produce, but we know we are definitely not thriving.
Friend, our Heavenly Father wants us to flourish, not fail. And here’s the thing: we don’t have to work hard to produce anything. The Spirit of God that hovered over the waters in Creation is at work in our lives. All we have to do is spend time with the Lord. As we abide in His presence, His Spirit will fill us with His love, joy, peace, and every spiritual blessing we need to be fruitful. (John 15:5; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 1:3)
When we delight in the Lord, the Psalmist says we become “like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever [we] do prospers.” (Psalms 1:3, NIV) The more time you spend in His Word and worshipping God, the more you will grow in faith. You will never be barren, but be fruitful for God’s glory.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT:
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” (Psalm 127:1, NIV)