Fruit In Its Season
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1)
I’ve been trying to grow fruit trees for four or five years now. I’ve planted, fertilized, fenced, watered, pruned, protected (sometimes unsuccessfully), then replanted, grafted, and on and on, more than I'd like to admit.
The results so far are two living apple trees, two living plum trees, about 7 apples, and zero plums. This year looks more promising, but needless to say, it has not exactly been the picture of “In all that he does, he prospers” that I had in mind.
Fortunately for me (and for my impatient perspective on Psalm 1) we don’t live far from Abi’s grandparents, where they have many apple trees – and their trees were planted a few decades ago. So every fall, as we harvest buckets and boxes of apples, I’m reminded from Psalm 1 – that fruit will come, “in it’s season.”
But more importantly, when we go down, I get to see the same compelling Psalm 1 image displayed in her grandfather, a happy, humble, and godly man, who has been planted by streams of water for over fifty years. A man daily rooted in the sustaining grace of God’s Word, and who’s life displays the abundance of fruitfulness that Psalm 1 describes.
So, my exhortation this morning is: Be faithful, and be patient. Have a tree-like perspective on fruitfulness. Delight in God’s Word daily. Let it shape your heart and your life. And don’t underestimate what God will do through ordinary means of grace over a lifetime of faithfulness. Yes, growth takes time, but in its season, God will produce fruit that will last forever. This reminds us of our need to confess our sins…
Let’s pray.
