Real Life Parable on Bearing Fruit
Luke 13: 1-11
(below)
Luke 13: 1-11
(below)
In our everyday activities, thinking in terms of the Bible yeilds results, sometime beyond our imaginations often revealing just how little we understand, believe, and trust God's word. This is a true story and I should not have been surprised.
For many years, because I love figs, I wanted a fig tree in my yard. About six or seven years ago, more on that in a minute, I bought a small fig plant and put it where it would get plenty of sun, and I ran an irrigation line to make sure it had plenty of water.
After about two years, I had my first fig and was most excited until it dropped off the tree before maturing. Maybe a year later I finally was able to eat one fig from the tree. It bore two figs but one did not mature, a bird got it or something happened to it. For the next several years, no figs appeared.
In talking to a neighbor a couple streets over, he had a fig tree planted about the time of mine and was getting figs galore. But, I was going to be patient. Several years went by with no figs, but great frustration on my part.
The parable below came to mind on several occasions over the years as I held patience with the little tree about three feet high with two little branches. In the Spring of this year, it is now at this writing six or seven years this frustrating tree has been in the ground with my tender loving care of water, fertelizer, and mulch.
In the Spring as I looked at it while cutting the grass, my thought, my most very conscience thought was, I guess you could say it was a prayer. I looked at that stupid little tree and mentally, but with great promise, my thought ran, "Lord, if you want me to have this fig tree, make it bear this year or I am going to dig it out, pull it up, and throw it in the woods." I said the words with promise, but to tell the truth, I thought I would surely be digging it up this fall. I really had no hope for it. Also, I want to emphasize that I was not in any manner, way, or form testing God with my question. Later, I considered that I would move it to another location.
With this writing, I went out about an hour ago and I could not believe my eyes and my count. On that little tree, and I have a chill in my back as I write this, I first counted six figs. I thought, six, why not seven! I looked at the six, saw how they were configured on the limb, looked at other limbs and, well, there was a seventh fig! So very tiny, hardly recognizable but it certainly has the apparent makings of the seventh fig. There may be more to come.
Now, I know, some people would read the next words with disdain, but I do not care because, I believe.
One thought that comes to mind about this experience is our lack of Godly expectation in the prayers and conversations we have with God. He made us, He wants us to talk to Him! Then, when we do our lack of faith often and glaringly shines through as it did with me when I had that short prayer/conversation with Him about the fig plant.
Another thought: This is exactly one of the ways how God builds our faith! Like the old series on TV, "Candid Camera", God builds out faith when we least expect it. Let me be clear, we do not build our faith, God does! FAITH is a gift. Saint Paul makes it clear, "it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast." (*2 below)
I firmly do not believe that this event is a coincidence! This is most probably the seventh year of this plant in my yard, and even thought there may be more figs to come this year, when I went to see the plant for the first time this year to see figs, I counted seven figs! The important point about seven, is from the Old Testament, the word of God, Seven is considered throughout the OT God's perfect Complete number and used over 500 times (*1)! Just think about it, there are seven days in a week, seven planets we can see with the naked eye, seven continents, seven identified oceans, seven digits in phone numbers are there because seven numbers is easy to remember, and the list goes on (*1). And, then there are seven figs!
Finally, when something like this happens I do not believe we should be surprised! I pray everyday for God to lead me to where He wants me to be. God created this "finely tuned universe", why should we be startled, surprised, or amazed that He does something in our life when we have talked to Him! Talk to Him, Believe Jesus to be our Salvation, Accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Seek Him in all your do, Listen at least twice as much that you talk, and most of all Expect Him to Respond to you. Allow the Faith He builds in you Lead you to See what He Will do for You.
Thanks be to God
(*1) - For more on the Holy Number Seven
click here: "The Amazing First Verse of the Bible"
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and
(*2)
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) Saing Paul writing:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
lonnie
Luke 13: 1-11
Repent or Perish
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.2Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
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