Day 12 – Fruit season

‘Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” Luke 13:7-9 NKJV

On average, it takes 3 years for a fruit tree to bear fruit. The Master of the vineyard came every year to look for fruit, and in the third year, he wanted to cut it down. The Keeper pleaded for the fig tree and asked for another year. Isn’t this a beautiful example of how Jesus intercedes for us with the Father? It takes time for us to grow and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. A ministry also takes time to grow and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. But at some point, we must begin to bear fruit.

Leviticus 19:23-25 says, “When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten.In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year, you may eat its fruit. In this way, your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.”

Jesus’ public ministry lasted a little over three years – the three-year fulfilment of the Levitical law from which He became the first fruit of the resurrection. Thinking back over the years of Women of the Word, I remember that in the fifth year, there was a 1000-fold growth. Although I was grateful for it, I did not understand it until I learned this principle. Is your life or ministry bearing fruit for the Master?

Prayer: Father, I thank You for teaching us this principle and that I, in my own experience, can testify to this. Thank You Jesus that You came to fulfill the law completely, not omitting one. In our time of growth, fertilize and prune us where necessary so that our fruit will be sweet and acceptable to the Master. Amen.