Fruitless Zucchini

I have a zucchini plant that produces the most beautiful blooms.  It has rich green leaves, buds with much potential, and gorgeous orange flowers.  But there is one problem with my zucchini plant...it never produces any fruit.  While I enjoy the orange blossoms, I did not buy the plant to serve as a flower.  I bought it to produce zucchini.  I planted it in good soil, I water it regulary, and yet to date my plant has not produced a single fruit.

As I was checking on my zucchini plant the other day, I couldn't help but sense an admonition from the Lord in this.  In my spirit, I felt God tenderly say, "Don't be all bloom and no fruit."

The Bible has much to say about bearing fruit. 

In the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, God tells the very first people, Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply..." (Gen 1:28).  From the start, we are commanded to bear fruit.  All throughout His Word He carries out this word picture of His people "bearing fruit."  Jesus often talks about our fruit and is recorded in all of the gospels using this analogy.  He talks about a tree being known by its fruit; He tells the parable about the seed falling on good soil and producing fruit a hundredfold, etc.  In Galations we read about the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22).  Old Testament and New Testament alike, the call to bear fruit is clear. 

So what does this mean?  Are we to leave our citified lives and move out to an apple orchard to literally produce fruit.  Of course not.  We are being called to live out our faith.  James is very well known for writing, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26).  While this verse has stirred up a great deal of controversary throughout the ages, James is not talking about salvation here.  He is not saying that you must do works to be saved.  Salvation comes by faith alone in Christ alone.  But rather when we trust in Jesus, when we are born again of His Spirit, our very identity and purpose changes.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  Our new identity and purpose...fruit bearers!

So, getting back to my zucchini plant...what if we don't bear fruit?  What if we bud and we bloom and look great to all those around us and yet fail to truly live out what we are called to do.  Here are a few thoughts per my zucchini plant.

First, our fruit does not determine our identity.  Even if my zucchini plant fails to produce a single fruit, it is still a zucchini plant.  Likewise, if you truly have trusted in the death of Jesus Christ alone as payment for your sin and received Him as your Lord and Savior and the King of your life, then you are once and for all a child of God.  By His grace alone, we have received the great exchange..."For God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousnss of God" (2 Cor 5:21).  Whether or not I bear fruit does not change my identy. My zucchini plant is still a zucchini plant, it is just not fulfilling it's purpose.

Your fruit does not drive your identity, but rather your identity should drive your fruit.  My zucchini plant does not have to first produce a zucchini to become a zucchini plant, but rather it should produce zucchini because it is a zucchini plant.  I hope you didn't lose me there in the abundant use of the word zucchini. :)  What I am saying is that we don't first do good works and bear fruit to be deemed a Christian.  Rather, when we become a believer and follower of Christ, our identity is changed and thus we bear fruit.  Works and fruit do not merit our salvation, but they are what we were designed to do. We are most fulfilled in doing them, most satisfied when filling the intent and purpose we were created for.

Paul expresses this much better than I can in his letter to the Ephesians.  He writes, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:8-10)

Saved by grace through faith in order that we might do good works.  They have been prepared for us specifically and intentionally by God.  Will we do them?

This is where my conviction comes in.  I feel like there are so many blooms that God springs up in me, but I can fall short on turning that bloom into fruit.  I hear a sermon or a teaching or read a scripture that stirs my heart.  I am moved to do something, to help the poor, to visit the eldery, to serve, to share the gospel with someone, to invite a neighbor to church, to write someone and email, to share a verse or encouragement with someone who needs a boost...whatever it may be.  Then, the day gets busy, my schedule fills up, I second guess myself, I get to cleaning and doing other "important" chores and let that bloom die without ever bearing any fruit.

Does this mean that I will die and go to hell?  Does God reject me because I failed to follow through?  No, of course not...it is by the blood of Christ alone that I am granted to free gift of eternal life.  But nonetheless, I have missed out on an opportunity that He had provided me to bear fruit for Him.  To do a good work that He had prepared beforehand for me to do.  To be fulfilled in living out my purpose, to add meaning to this life, to make an eternal difference.  To build His Kingdom instead of just my own. 

So how do we bear fruit?  The key is in Galations 5:22, a familiar verse to many.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  Verse 25 says "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."  Did you catch it?  The key is that the fruit is not truly ours to bear on our own...it is the fruit of the SPIRIT.  It is only by the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit of God living and working in us that we bear fruit.  One of my favorite verses in all of the Bible is Romans 11:36.  It says, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen."  This is all about God~ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This fruit that we are to bear is from Him, through Him and to Him.  It is all for His glory.

Oh Lord, I pray that by the power of Your Holy Spirit living in me that you will make me an abundant fruit bearer.  I invite You, Holy Spirit, to come and abide in me and to do Your work in and through me.   I pray that You will enable and equip me to complete and fulfill every good work that you have prepared beforehand for me to do.  I pray that You will give me Your eyes today that I might see people as you see them, give me ears that are tuned into Your voice alone, make me Your hands and feet, use me as Your mouthpiece to share the Good News of the Life and Salvation and Hope and Joy and Love that are found only in You, Jesus.  Use me to build Your Kingdom, Lord.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

I will leave you with one closing thought from John 15:

 Jesus Himself says: "“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful....No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ...I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing....You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last."

Now get out there and go bear fruit that will last!

The Aroma of Christ

Earlier today, Eli and I were driving with the windows rolled down and the wind blowing through our hair (one of my favorite things to do).  While it was warm out, there was a nice breeze and my little guy and I were savoring a little "windows down" time before the summer heat hits us full on.  As I drove past a strip of restaurants, I was allured by a variety of different smells.  The smell of Raisin' Canes chicken strips and french fries invaded my car, and who doesn't like the smell of fried chicken...or fried anything for that matter?  Though previously not hungry, I suddenly felt my appetite awakened!  Since I had just left the gym, we resisted the temptation, but the point is that smells are powerful!

In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul writes "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."  Wow!  We are to be the aroma of Christ...  As I meditate on this, I think again about the power that smells have.  In the case of the food aromas that I experienced earlier, they awakened a hunger in me that I was not previously aware of.  I think in the same way, God is saying, "You are to be my aroma to the world.  Many will not know they're hungry, but you are to draw them to me.  Awaken in them a hunger for me." 

O Holy God, I pray that you will make us the strong and pleasant aroma of Christ to all those around us...those who are saved and those who are perishing.  May we awaken in people a hunger for you.  You alone can satisfy the longing of our heart.  In you alone is life.  We love you, Lord. Amen.    

     


2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

My Messy House

Lord,
Tonight as I look around my house and see all that needs to be done, I thank you for the gentle reminder of how much I have to be grateful for.  Rather than seeing a house that needs cleaning, I thank you on this rainy night for a roof over our heads.  I see a messy kitchen and am so thankful that we have ample food to eat.  Many around the world will go to bed hungry on this very night.  Lord be with them and use me to help them in any way that I can.  I see clothes hampers full of dirty clothes waiting to be washed.  Thank you Lord that we have clothes to wear and so many to choose from.  I see five pairs of shoes that need to be returned to their closets.  Thank you for shoes to cover our feet.  Shoes are something taken for granted in our culture and our day, but I think about the many throughout history and in poor countries today that would consider a single pair of shoes to be a luxury.  Thank you for blessing me with comfortable shoes...may you lead me in your paths of righteousness that I might be a blessing to those in need.  I see toys to be picked up and little messes from my son throughout the house.  Oh God, thank you for the gift of our precious child.  We prayed and prayed a child, and you so graciously answered our prayer in our sweet Eli.  What a joy and a blessing he is.  Thank you that he is healthy and active, spending his days playing with toys and enjoying life.  Thank you for all of the material blessings you have bestoyed on us that he has to play with and we have to enjoy.  I think on the many who have never experienced the joy of having a child and have walked through years or possibly a lifetime of infertility.  I think of the many who have lost children and those who have children suffering from illness and disease.  My heart breaks for them, and I pray even now, Holy Spirit, that you will be their comforter...that you will indeed "restore their soul" (Ps. 23:3) and mend broken hearts.

Thank you for my many blessings, Lord.  I have so much.  I am blessed beyond words and beyond measure.  Thank you, oh God, for my messy house and all the ways it reminds me of your goodness and your grace toward us tonight.

In Jesus Name,
Amen