Fall Fruit

Sunday morning retuning: Good challenge Sunday from the Scripture as we each endeavor to walk in the light, love and Spirit of our God.  Are you keeping these things in the closet, or letting them out for all the world to see?

This is my favorite time of year!  Falling leaves, football, and fruit.  Yes, fruit!  (This could be a photo from where I grew up!)

I was standing in a pumpkin patch recently thinking about how much I love this season.  As is often the case with me, as I reflected I wondered why that is.  I love how the seasons remind us of the cycle of life, birth, growth, decline, and death, and the even bigger cycle this yearly journey points us to.

I thought what it would be like to be in the Autumn of life, since I feel like I am in the summer still, but can see the fall approaching with ever increasing speed.  I wondered if I could still be fruitful as the wind turns cold and most things are beginning to die.  I tried to think of what fruit comes in this season, and suddenly standing there in the midst of 500 or so pumpkins it occurred to me.  Yes, I am a little dense sometimes…

Of course there is fruit to be enjoyed even in this late season of the cycle of life!  And big fruit at that!!

Later as I was trying to recall what scripture might say about this I was reminded of a verse I learned early in my walk with Jesus, and came across again recently.  I meaning has become more rich to me over the years and even has increased meaning in this season when we have been praying “Show Us Your Glory!”  Hosea 10:12 says,

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
    reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
    for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
    and showers his righteousness on you.

We must sow righteousness and we will reap love.  But did you see that next line.  We must break up our unplowed ground.  What fallow ground is there in your soul?  Ask the Spirit to show you where you may have become hard, then ask Him to break it up.

I learned the other day that a week after you plant a pumpkin seed the leaves will break through the earth.  A week!  But we must break up the ground and sow if we have any hope of reaping.  What fruit might you bear next week if you are willing to the work this week?

Jesus, we are seeking You, Your glory and Your power.  We will break up our unplowed ground, and plant seeds, all the while waiting on You to shower Your righteousness on us.   Do it Lord, in Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy