Fruit

The fruit has appeared on the trees in our yard. It is interesting to watch it transform from a flower, to a tiny fruit, to a delicious ripe fruit to enjoy!

We have pomegranites...

Peaches...
And what seems like a million pears!


In the Bible (NIV), the word fruit appears more than 150 times. Usually when something is repeated over and over in the Bible, there is an important lesson to be learned from it.

John 15:1-8; "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

A gardener removes the dead, fruitless plants from the garden. The healthy ones he cuts back or prunes the branches as needed so that they remain healthy and fruitful. Cutting a plant does not kill it and only wounds the plant for a moment. So too are we cut - wounded for a moment so that we can grow stronger. If we stay connected to Jesus, we will bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

A tree is to fruit as a man that trusts in the Lord is to the fruit of the Spirit. These are the things that we should produce as Christians - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is our fruit. This is the fruit that we should bear.

And just as the fruit begins new again each year, as Christians, we are offered the chance to begin again.

Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

I am so glad the Lord is my Gardener!