WARNING TO BE FRUITFUL!
S - "Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again."
O - A fig tree lives to produce fruit. In the middle east the fig fruit was highly regarded. The fig has a fleshy fruit and inside, beautiful sweet seeded pulp. As a tree, it should have realised it's position as a favoured tree! Here it seems, that Jesus was expecting it to bear it's bounty, despite the fact that it wasn't fruit season. This could mean one of two things. Either Jesus knew it had the potential to bear fruit despite the season, or it was a tree that was incapable of bearing fruit. Either way, the pronouncement from Jesus, is clear. It was given no more opportunity to bear fruit again. In fact, later on, the disicples noticed, the same tree was withering from its roots (vs 20). It seems that a tree it useless unless it bears fruit, and this bearing of fruit is expected, despite the seasons.
A - Could the fig tree also represent us! Does Jesus expect us to bear fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), despite the seasons of our lives. I think so. In fact, it is often only in the out of season times (defficulties, conflict, hard times), that the Life of Jesus, causes us to go deeper and deeper with Him, and therefore, produces the fruit He so desires. And a sobering thought. For those who don't bear fruit (no matter what the season), we will surely wither spiritually.
P - Dear Jesus, please help me to remain in you and continue to develop the fruit of the Spirit, no matter what the season. Stay close to me Jesus as I remain in you. Amen.
Daily Reading Mark Chapters 10&11
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