New Testament Reading- Day 137

Just kidding! I guess we’re about 25 days into it. Even if you’ve been a little spotty in your reading, I trust that our Father’s Word has been faithful in its effects in you.

Yesterday I read Luke 13:6-9. What a fascinating passage! Verses 1-5 have much to teach us about God’s sovereignty and tragedy. Then, at the end of all that Christ introduces the idea of repentance.
Immediately after, Jesus tells the story of the barren fig tree. As I read from The Message I was hoping this story would make some more sense. Unfortunately all that did was change the fig tree to an apple tree, so that wasn’t much help!

I’ve spent some time thinking about it and here’s the thing that stuck out to me most. Am I the tree? The barren tree, the fruitless tree, the non-producing tree? See, I think that Christ was emphasizing that what God grows in his vineyard he expects to be fruitful.

What does it mean to be fruitless? Maybe 2 main things- 1) unrepentant and 2) unproductive. Its possible to be spiritually arrogant, to think I’ve got it all figured out and that I don’t need God’s new work in me. Filled with pride and a sense of having ‘arrived’ spiritually. So full of my own ‘maturity’ that I don’t produce any disciples or bless anyone because of my spirituality or make a difference in anyone’s life through good works. That life is to be chopped down- it is a waste of an otherwise good plot of dirt.

Wow. God has a lot invested in me, in the Church, in The Sanctuary. Are we repentant and fruitful? Are we living to be pleasing to our Father (the field’s owner)?

Oh God- one more year! One more chance!