Daily Light - February 25, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Let no fruit grow on you ever again."

Matthew 21:19

Jesus approaches a fig tree that was full of leaves and looked good in appearance, but as He drew near He found no fruit on it. With just His spoken word the tree began to wither and died. Some have thought this passage of Scripture is quite harsh, but you must realize that this is the Creator standing before one of His creations that had gone the way of this fallen world. Everything that He made was good, but the curse that was passed down because of sin had brought corruption. God is not pleased with those things that are not fulfilling their created purpose.

In John 15 Jesus tells His followers that they are branches that emanate from Himself, the vine. We are told that if we abide (continue, remain, dwell, endure) in Him then we will bear much fruit. However, if we do not abide in Christ, then we will most assuredly wither away. Notice that we do not have to be unattached from the vine in order to stop being fruitful. When a branch droops into the mud below or becomes hidden in the dark crevices of the things around it, that branch has lost its ability to produce fruit and begins to die. As believers we often allow the "mud" of this world to sully us, and we become spiritually sluggish. We might shrink away and hide from our spiritual responsibilities and therefore we cannot draw from the light of Jesus Christ. Fortunately, God the Father is the husbandmen and comes by to draw us back into the light and wash the mud of this world off with the washing of the water by the Word. He is truly the God of love and in His grace we receive multiple chances to be fruitful.

What happens, though, if we continually go back into the shadows and bear no fruit? It seems from Scripture that there is a time that Jesus declares over some branches what He said to the fig tree, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." What a sad proclamation that is for any child of God! It is not that He does not love us, but there is a moment where our usefulness to the kingdom is finished. He cannot bear forever with those that are not fulfilling their created purpose. When does this happen in a life? Only God in His mercy knows that answer. We must realize our condition and continually call on the Father to come lift us up and bring us continually to the light so that we might bear fruit for Him.

May you be a fruitful branch for Christ today!