October 22, Fruitful Fields

Today’s reading: Psalms 106-110

“He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there” - Psalm 107-33-34.

God has created all things to bear fruit as we read in Genesis, fruit that was according to “their kind” (see Genesis 1:22, 24, 28). In fact, today’s passage tells us that God has to intervene to stop the fruitfulness process, and He intervenes when there is wickedness — some criteria that is not being met for the fruit to come forth. Therefore, if you are not bearing fruit, something has happened to stop your productivity that God has programmed you to bear. Jesus referred to the fruit-bearing process in John 15: 5-8:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

In what area of life do you bear much fruit? Can you describe your fruit? What does it look like? If you are not bearing fruit, where have you cut yourself off from Jesus who is your source of productivity? You can examine what has led to this lack, but in most cases, it is fear that has caused your vine to shrivel and led to your barren fields.