Friday, November 11, 2016

Fruit in Season: Part Two


Monday, I wrote about the lovely phrase in Psalm 1, "bearing fruit in season." And ended that post with this: all of this sounds great, but how do I live this out in my heart/life?

Here are some thoughts I wrote down in answering this:

* First, I need to make sure I'm walking in the way of the righteous. Examine where my counsel is coming from, who I'm hanging out with and listening to.

* Spend time in God's Word! Look at verse 2, am I delighting in God's Law and focusing on incorporating it into my life? Am I obeying it? Am I looking at it to learn about God's character?

* Preparation: allow God to cultivate my heart for what He has in mind. Listen to anything He is consistently laying on my heart. Stay connected to the nourishment I need and store it inside; be still and patient.

* Growth: study, learn, allow new buds of faith to burst open. Tender shoots and blossoms will praise my Creator! Continue to listen and begin to act as He leads and directs. Take in proper nourishment for feeding all of this growth and budding out.

Consider watching children going through a growth spurt - takes energy, they are endlessly hungry and sleep more than at other times, and it can bring growing pains. Remember these thoughts when I am in a season of growing and stretching.

* Harvest: I love going apple picking - the trees are still green and there is a heady scent of fruit in the air that gives me joy and excitement at the fruit I will pick and how I will use the apples for my family. The fruit is a delight to all of my senses and that is the kind of fruit I want my life to bear for Christ - I want it to arise as a sweet aroma that He can use in many ways for His kingdom!

Harvest also takes something from the living tree and pulls it off. The tree no longer needs as much nourishment as it is not in a season of preparation or growth or producing. Like all good things, this is the most exciting time and can also feel like a disappointment that this season is over for now.

The purpose of the tree changes greatly during this season in that what it has been working towards and gearing up for over the past couple of seasons is suddenly changed for a pulling in and withdrawing to rest and rejuvenate.



* Rest: After our limbs are picked of fruit, we are weary. A large work has been done and to continue this cycle, we must pull in and be still for a time.

This is where we live in the quiet, inner place. Where the work is done in secret. This is when we can look back to what God has done and look forward to what we hope He will continue. Dreams are planted in this quiet. Healing has the opportunity to seep in and around. The pouring forth is stilled while we are still.

*    *    *

Now I pause and consider that we are each unique and individual "trees" bearing fruit for our God. He needs all kinds of trees for His fruit-bearing. We must be faithful to the type of tree we are not matter how much we admire the fruit of a sister tree - this fruit that bears on our branches is the work God has given our roots and limbs to carry forth.

Sometimes we will need attention from our Heavenly Gardener. We will need pruning and special nutrients to be added to the soil when we are especially depleted. We may need to be transplanted or be moved to a different location. While the climate and soil will affect our fruit, the sap that runs through our veins remains true to the purpose for which we were planted.

For your consideration:

- Are you walking in the ways of the righteous?
- Are you spending time in His Word?
- Are you well connected to your source of nourishment?
- Are you living out your calling?
- Do you allow the seasons to come and go or do you try to force bloom out of season?
- What season are you in right now? Be there with all of your heart.

This post is an interesting follow-up read though not from a Biblical perspective.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank. you. very. much!

a sister in the Lord,
Amy.

Mom said...

Good insights - I especially like the thought of us being uniquely different kinds of "trees" bearing the kinds of fruit we're made for. :)

Shelby said...

Agreed with your mom that we are all unique in the fruits that are gifted from the Lord.