Are you that little fig tree over there?
Did you bear fruit today?
You remember the story, don't you - the one about how Jesus saw the fig tree in the distance and then as He draws closer He sees it has no figs on it, just leaves? You remember how He "condemns" it? "May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever." (Mark 11:13,14,20)
Shocking isn't it? After all, it wasn't time for the tree to bear fruit. It wasn't the poor little fig tree's fault that it had no figs!
Ah, but it's got nothing to do with the fig tree. It's not that Our Lord is whining because He wanted a fig. (You can't really picture Him complaining about not getting what He wants, can you?) It's meant to make a point to us.
We're the fig tree. He's looking for the fruit. When He doesn't find it, He's disappointed. But it's more than disappointed (and that should shake us up a bit, eh?).
He's expecting fruit. And He's not accepting excuses.
Lord, I was just so busy today at work. Yes, I know I was brusque with so-and-so; I gave bad example when I didn't put my full effort into producing such-and-such.
Lord, I just couldn't say my Morning Offering, or read any Scripture, or spiritual reading, or think about You for a few moments.
You know the endless excuses we can come up with, don't you? (Sometimes I think I wrote the book!) But He's not interested.
In fact, Peter sees that little fig tree all withered later on that same day. It didn't produce fruit and so it died.
When He comes looking for fruit, are you going to make excuses? Are you going to be that little fig tree?
You remember the story, don't you - the one about how Jesus saw the fig tree in the distance and then as He draws closer He sees it has no figs on it, just leaves? You remember how He "condemns" it? "May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever." (Mark 11:13,14,20)
Shocking isn't it? After all, it wasn't time for the tree to bear fruit. It wasn't the poor little fig tree's fault that it had no figs!
Ah, but it's got nothing to do with the fig tree. It's not that Our Lord is whining because He wanted a fig. (You can't really picture Him complaining about not getting what He wants, can you?) It's meant to make a point to us.
We're the fig tree. He's looking for the fruit. When He doesn't find it, He's disappointed. But it's more than disappointed (and that should shake us up a bit, eh?).
He's expecting fruit. And He's not accepting excuses.
Lord, I was just so busy today at work. Yes, I know I was brusque with so-and-so; I gave bad example when I didn't put my full effort into producing such-and-such.
Lord, I just couldn't say my Morning Offering, or read any Scripture, or spiritual reading, or think about You for a few moments.
You know the endless excuses we can come up with, don't you? (Sometimes I think I wrote the book!) But He's not interested.
In fact, Peter sees that little fig tree all withered later on that same day. It didn't produce fruit and so it died.
When He comes looking for fruit, are you going to make excuses? Are you going to be that little fig tree?
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