"Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered." Matthew 21:18-19
What a beautiful morning yesterday was to get in a run-a short one I should say. Unfortunately, with marathon day quickly approaching, my longest run could be put off no longer. With the heat index of 100 and high humidity predicted for yesterday and the next 7 more, it seemed like a good a day as any. How gracious God was to keep the temperatures below 80 until the last 90 minutes of my run. As the day grew hotter, so did the water in my handheld bottle. It was getting so warm as to be almost nauseating. That's when I saw it.... the most beautiful sight a thirsty runner could ever see besides a fully stocked aid station.... a water spigot in the middle of the park. Anticipating the cool water that was going to flow out of it the second I turned the handle, I poured out the remaining hot water I had. And boy was I ready! I turned the spigot and nothing!
How utterly disappointing. I really thought water was going to come out. It looked like a spigot. It was certainly in the right place at the right time to appear as if it would produce water. But it was dry. So many Christians are like that water spigot-content to look and act like a Christian but not willing to do anything to produce flowing water or spiritual fruit. Jesus compared unfruitful "Christians" to the fig tree in Matthew 21. The tree looked like it was producing fruit from a distance but, upon closer inspection, only produced leaves. He cursed the fig tree "And at once the fig tree withered".
Matthew 7:16 says, "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act." and John 2:26 says, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." No matter how much we try to look like followers of Christ, if we aren't truly faithful followers, we will never produce any fruit. Like the spigot, it won't take long for others to realize that we are a dried up well. Are you in need of refreshing today? Do you find yourself producing more leaves than fruit? Maybe it's time to reconnect with God and renew your faith. John 4:14 tells us how, "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us second chances. I pray that if any of us are not producing fruit, that we pray to you for forgiveness and guidance. May we all be springs of refreshing to others that they might want to come to know you. Give us an unquenchable thirst for your Word that we may learn to follow you with our whole hearts and be Christians that show our faith in the way we look, act and serve. In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.
Happy running!!!
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Come to the river-Rhett Walker Band
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