Good day sisters!
I pray you are striving on obedient to all the commands God has for us as women.
Today I have a few bits and pieces about trees and fruit for interests sake.
These are two carob trees we have on the property. They are the same age. All we can tell is that the one on the right has not got good deep roots because there is rocky soil underneath. And the one on the left is deeply rooted and flourishing in leaf production. And you can think about how we are to be rooted in Christ and the gospel.
But the other thing about these trees is that they have never borne any fruit. A Jewish neighbour gave them to us and I believe we were supposed to graft a good yielder onto them so they produce fruit. But we didn't and time went on. So I was thinking that scripture has so much about all this type of thing and so I wanted to share this to think how we as Gentiles were grafted in and can become people of God with the Jews.
"For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy : and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"Romans 11:16-24
It's something to ponder for all of us. I think how many are acting high minded and not fearing God in these days of lukewarm faith.
As I said above our carob trees hadn't produced any fruit yet...or at least none to maturity. I saw these tiny pods (or flowers) on one of the trees the other day but I suspect they won't last to full maturity. We will see.
That same Jewish neighbour used to bring us bags of carob pods and us children used to devour them in short order. They are yet another unique creation of God for feeding man and the animals.
'Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!"Matthew 21:18-20
And this one too.
These are two pistachio trees we have. The tree on the right is the male tree and it produces flowers. The tree on the left is the female one and it bears the fruit. I'm not sure if it's always the case that there is that size difference but I thought how much of the plants energy must be spent on growing the fruit. And maybe you can think of some spiritual correlations in relation to the size difference too...about how God ordained that the men be the leaders and the women the helpers.
"He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it : And if it bear fruit, well : and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."Luke 13:6-9
And this is another thing I found interesting.
I shared before about the nuts on that tree but I thought they should be ripe and ready to pick by now...but not quite.
Well what are some good fruits we women should produce? I'm sure you can think of many. It all comes down to the fruit of obedience I guess but in that there are many things of course...and which will be fruits and evidence of the Spirit in us and our faith in Christ.
Love
Mercy
Peace
Joy
Truth
Righteousness
Goodness
Temperance
Faith
Longsuffering
Forgiving
Kind
Gentle
Meek
Quiet
Submissive
Keeper at home
Biblically clothed
Unadorned
Chaste
Sober
Shamefaced
Discreet
I'm sure there are more but those are some.
And what will happen to us if we do not produce good fruit?
And may we not be like this...
"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."John 15:2
Reminds me of this one too.
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."Hebrews 12:6
There are so many simple connections and relations to the country farm lifestyle in the Bible. So much of that is lost in the cities and in our culture in general as you just find all these things in a shop and don't think what work and processes went into it all.
There's much much more of course as I am not doing any kind of deep study on it all but mentioning it as I do find it fascinating and it does give a better understanding of scripture to picture these things and then connect them to the spiritual truths that they are mentioned about in the Word.
And we have to have much patience and endurance as we allow the Spirit to convict us and as we overcome the flesh growing more and more like Christ.
"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."Luke 8:15
I needed to go and pick some lemons for another batch of pear butter I was making today. And I thought this lemon was interesting growing straight out of a woody branch.
Amen!
Love in Christ to my good-fruit-bearing sisters,
...from an unworthy servant of God
See the gospel to eternal life here.