Our Works…

This week’s Monday morning prayer time we reflected on Luke 13:1-9. I was particularly struck by verse 6-9 shared below.

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So 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. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Oh my goodness this was such a powerful message to me. I have allowed myself to be busy and haven’t always given back to Jesus consistently. I often ask for prayer and sometimes forgot to thank Him for listening and answering those prayers. I have depended that He is a patient God, forgetting that He calls us to be working in the world for His good.

In the study notes of my Bible reflecting on these verses I read:

“Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree - the end that took valuable time and space and still produced noting for the patient gardener. This was one way Jesus warns his listeners that God would not tolerate forever their lack of productivity. Have you been enjoying God’s special treatment without giving anything in return? If so, respond to the Gardener’s patient care, and begin to bear the fruit God has created you to produce.”

I leave this for your thoughts and pondering this week.