Sigh. Fall. Its beauty is upon us. The cool crisp air, the crunch of leaves under our feet, and pumpkins popping up everywhere are little kisses that October brings. Finally the heat of summer is over, and we can now delight in a new season!
Aren't you thankful for new seasons? Life is so much more interesting when things change. Good times and bad come upon us. Life happens. But aren't the good times so much sweeter after a difficult season passes? Tasty like a Honeycrisp apple. You know, that apple did not just appear. It had to be harvested, and before this it began as a seed lying dormant inside another apple that had to die in order for the seed to live. Buried deep within soil, the seed seems to be gone, but suddenly it breaks through the soil and grows into a beautiful flowering tree eventually bearing delicious apples.
Life is like that; a journey from being a seed to bearing lots of fruit for others to enjoy. We do not come from ourselves and were not created for ourselves. Col 1:16 We come from G-D. The apple that had to die in order for us to live is Jesus. (and yet He is not dead because He arose from the grave!) The Word of G-D says that Jesus is the firstfruit of many sons. Rom 8:29 He is the One who was planted, and we who have faith in Him are the ones who break through the soil into the Light.
Daddy G-D, the Master Gardener, sends forth the rain of His Spirit watering us, causing us to grow. Is 55:10,11 Each year He prunes away not only dead branches, but crowded branches too. This pruning makes room for more fruit. Jn 15:1,2 It also causes us to become fuller, giving off shade for those seeking refuge from the hot sun.
The secret to a good harvest? Do not pick the fruit for the first three years. He gives us time to grow and become rooted in the soil where He planted us. The fourth year all the fruit is to be Holy--an offering of praise to the L-RD. Then, beginning in the fifth year, the fruit may be eaten by the people. Lev 19:23-25
What is this fruit that we bear for others? It is the fruit of our Creator: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, inner strength, Gal 5:22-23 and good works. Eph 2:10 Being consumed may not feel pleasant, but there is joy in doing what G-D created us to do. Heb 12:2
Beware! Unforgiveness and living a life for yourself separates us from our Creator and we fall short of His grace, leading to a bitter root springing up and causing trouble. Heb 12:14-15 Some people like sour lemons and other like bitter kumquats or even crabapples! They ferment the apples turning them into cider in order to get drunk! These fruits have purpose too, but I will leave that for another time. So, if you are in a hard season, hold onto Daddy G-D. He is pruning you. And if you are in a good season, rejoice, because you are either growing or bearing fruit for others to take delight in your sweetness.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to let go,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace
Ecc 3:1-8
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