The Avocado Tree

                                                   


You never know what kind of a crop you will have.
Our avocado tree was so full of produce this year, it broke two huge branches long before the fruit could ripen.  We lost over 200 of them.  It wasn't the tree's fault...it simply did what it was made to do...it just made avocados!!  Although the fruit was beautiful to look at...it didn't last, because some of the branches were too weak to sustain it.

I'm sure Jesus was aware of weak branches.  In the Gospel of John, He told the disciples that He was the vine, and we are the branches.  He said that if we remained in Him, we would bear much fruit...for without Him we can do nothing. He said that our fruit will not only be good...but that it will abide...it will last.  The fruit will not be gone tomorrow.  It will leave a lasting legacy.  That is IF we are rooted in Him.

 If we are not, if we are superficial and self indulgent, our results will show this.   It will be like the weak branch that held the avocados...it couldn't hold up under the weight of the fruit. How often do we begin to bear fruit and then buckle under the pressure of the committment? Does our fruit look good on the outside, but is unable to be used because we weren't grounded enough to give it sustenance?

It's time to cultivate your faith.  Prune it from self.  Weed it of the thorns of laziness and apathy. Feed it with the Word of God and water it with prayer.  Then watch the fruit blossom and give nourishment to others and yourself...for now and for years to come.

Facing the Son

                                         


     Steve planted some pepper plants a few weeks ago.  They're a few inches high now, and it won't be long before they'll be ready to transplant.  I noticed that at first glance, it looks like something is wrong with them.  They almost looked crooked!
     In reality, they are not planted incorrectly...they are leaning on purpose.  They automatically lean toward the direction of the sunlight.  It's like they want to raise their faces to the sun....to soak in it's goodness and warmth.  If you turned the plant around, with it's leaves toward the shadows, you would soon find that it is leaning the other way...toward the sunlight.  It's like it has an innate knowledge of where the sun is, and it can 'see' it, and find it's way back.  If a plant is denied sunlight, it will wither and die.
     We are a lot like those plants.  After we become a Christian, we may find ourselves in the shadows.  But the difference is, that when we let the Spirit lead us, we have an instinctive desire to search for the Son. We inherently long to point our face toward the Light of the Son and let Him warm us and give us strength.  Like the plant, if we neglect our time in the Light, we will spiritually wither and die.  We can find that nourishment, by keeping daily quiet times and daily prayer...or communicaiton with God. We can keep ourselves from getting dry by soaking up the Living Water of His Word, the Bible.  All of us go through dry spells from time to time.  That is normal.  We just have to remember to keep looking towards the Son!