Matthew Devotion: 21:41

"... who will render him the fruits in their seasons..."

In times of inactivity, remember: the ebb and flow of the intensity of our walks with Christ may not so much be the product of your own doing, but the result of a natural "season" in your life.

If you are born to bear fruit - fruit for the Kingdom that will last - and you are - that, in itself, negates the thought that your spiritual vibrancy will be at 100% full throttle each and every day of your life.

For a tree to bear fruit there needs to be seasons. There will always be those times when the fruit is sweet and people will cluster to your Vine. Conversaly, there will always be those times when the Vinedressor will till the soil around your roots, prune your branches, and prepare you for the Greater Harvest in Spring.

Leaning to accept this spiritual ebb and flow - season of fruitfulness to seasons of preparation - is difficult for us. In seasons perceived fruitlessness it is easy to think, "Where has God gone? Where are the glory days?" And sometimes, in seasons of intense fruitfulness - when the sparks are flying and the Witness is sure - we think, "All I want is a little peace and quiet!"

But God knows. He is the Manager of All Seasons. He knows your potential and prunes you so that you display his absolute best fruit - Fruit of the Vine. In "spiritual lulls" you don't need to wonder if there is anything good left in you. Rather, know that he is gardening. He is faithful. His Word never returns void.

The bearing of fruit is the one thing - perhaps the only thing - that is seen and handled by others for the Witness of the God's Love. John cries in the wilderness, "Bear fruit worthy of repentance!" In other words, "Let me see something in your life that shows me something of the interior work of repentance in your life." Jesus said, "By your fruit you will be known." In other words, "Others will know you by the actions, lifestyle, morals, and spiritual fortitude you display."  And Paul writes, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."  These are not standards of conduct or morality - these are fruits of the Spirit. They are natural displays of the one who is grafted into the Vine from Heaven, Jesus Christ.

If you are in him, you will display these things - without even trying.  They have little to do with what you do and everything to do with who you are in Christ.  You are made to bare fruit - naturally. If you are walking with God good fruit will follow. Period. The most you can do is nurture the plant, fanning into flame the gift that is in you by blessing whatever the Vinedresser is doing at any particular time in your life.

So in your times of barrenness, in your times when you find yourself wondering "where have all the flowers gone?" remember that the Vinedresser is quite busy. He continues working working the soil, pruning your branches, maybe even uprooting you and placing you in another field.  He has a Plan. He sees ahead. You cannot.

Bless your season. Rest assured that you have not been forsaken. You have not run dry.  This time is a planned time, a preparation time,  wherein the Vinedresser is working and waiting for the precise time to produce in you a glorious, fruitful future wherein many will taste and see that the Lord is good!