Read Luke 13:1–9
The practice of digging around a tree is common when it is not growing well and, in turn, not producing the fruit it was planted for. When the soil around the tree is disturbed, the roots are damaged in the digging, and then the tree has to grow new roots, which, in turn, strengthen the tree to bear fruit for the next season.
Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that doesn’t bear fruit. The owner says, ‘Well cut it down’, but the man taking care of it says, ‘Leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilise it’.
The tree doesn’t need to be destroyed but disturbed and fed instead.
We are like this tree. We were planted in the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus and given a purpose – to bear fruit. Yet it is easy to drift away from Jesus and begin to follow the way of the world and the way of ourselves. We find it easier to listen to the devil, tempting us with lies in the idea that ‘it is my life and my body; I can do what I like’.
But Jesus has chosen you as his own for his purpose. To bear fruit. The fruit of God’s love in action toward those around you. You are created to be a blessing to others. You are blessed to bless others with God’s love in action.
When the word of the Lord challenges you to live differently, it is like Jesus digging at your roots – the roots in self rather than in the word. You see, the word is the fertiliser of life, and the word of Jesus Christ will feed and sustain you in bearing the fruit of God’s love in action.
When Jesus digs at your roots, hear the word, and be ready for his word to guide, challenge, heal and restore you. Be prepared for his word to nourish your hungry soul, ready to go out into the world with new growth and fruit that blesses others.
Dear Jesus, dig into my roots of selfishness and worldly ways. Let me grow in you to bear fruit for others. Help me to be a blessing to everyone I meet today. Feed me, nourish me, and strengthen me daily in your holy word. Amen.
Pastor Mark lives with his two daughters aged 11 and 8 in Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane. He currently serves as a pastor in the LCANZ and is passionate about sharing Jesus’ love with those around him. Pastor Mark loves to travel with his family to see the wonders of God’s creation and meet people who share their stories of what God has done for them.
Heart – attachments
by Ruth Olsen
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Peter answered [Jesus], ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’ (Matthew 19:27)
Read Matthew 19:16–30
What is it that your heart holds dear? Is it your loved ones, career, body shape/appearance, reputation, bank account, mobile phone, health or faith? It can be different for each of us, likewise at different stages of life.
I have probably moved through each of those stages; however, my faith – my relationship with Jesus and, through him, with Abba Father and the Holy Spirit – has been central since I was about 18 years old, with much growth, development and adventure along the way.
Whatever our heart is focused on will absorb our attention. And if there have been hurts and wounds along the way, leaving us broken-hearted, then our focus is much more muddied. But it does not have to stay that way!
The wealthy young ruler in our Bible passage thought he had it all together except for the surety of eternal life. Jesus replies to his question with a question, to which the young man replied, ‘Which commandments?’ Had he not heard that if we break one of the commandments, it is the same as breaking all of them? Jesus then challenges the young man on his ‘heart focus’ to ascertain whether he was really seeking eternal life.
Then comes the conversation about a camel passing through the eye of a needle as a descriptor of the immense pull – and even addiction – that material wealth and possessions can have on our hearts’ priorities. This led to Peter’s spontaneous question voicing what was probably on each of their minds – and most likely on ours too! ‘What about me/us?’
We like being first. We do not like being last. Yet God’s perspective and priorities are very different to ours. For us to settle with his priorities, we must surrender our heart’s desires to Jesus and ask him to be central in all we are and do. If we are willing to let go of our grasping after the things of this life, we will discover the joy of a bigger picture and purpose to our life with him here on this earth.
Lord, help us be real and honest with you and with ourselves. Search our hearts; enable us to recognise our priorities and change them where your Spirit prompts. Amen.
Ruth lives in Adelaide, South Australia, with her husband, Steen. Peritoneal dialysis at night is now their settled ‘new normal’. Ruth says, ‘It is in the challenges of life where we grow in recognising the Lord’s enabling and faithfulness. Like the psalmist, we grow in knowing the goodness of the Lord’s love and his great mercy. All praise be to him!’
Ask for workers?
by Ruth Olsen
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Ask the Lord of the harvest … to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:38).
Read Matthew 9:35–10:8(9–23)
Jesus, with his disciples, has been traversing the countryside, teaching in the synagogues, healing people and spreading the good news and life of the kingdom. People were responding hungrily. They saw that the message was not empty words, and they wanted more. Jesus had compassion on them. His strategy for dealing with the abundant harvest and shortage of workers: ‘Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.’
Take the situation to the Lord of the harvest. Ask him for whatever is needed, for workers, resources and favour. It is his harvest field wherever he sends us. He has delight in the harvest coming in, and he knows who may be open to his message at present. His healing, wholeness, light, love and truth can still touch many more lost people.
Jesus gathered the 12 disciples and told them they were the workers! He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Then he gave them instructions: the good news of the kingdom was to be proclaimed first to Jews only. Later, it will be taken out wider. To start, go local, wherever you are. Don’t take anything … But remember that it was he who was sending them out, with his authority. They can rely on him and God for provision. But to take with them the message of the kingdom of heaven. Words that carry and communicate life.
If you were standing in the disciples’ sandals that day, what might have been happening in your thinking? Are you ready for his challenge afresh now through this Bible passage?
Father, by your Spirit, open the eyes of our hearts to see people around us through your eyes of compassion. Touch our hearts afresh with the message of your kingdom among us, and move us to share naturally wherever opportunities open. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
Ruth lives in Adelaide, South Australia, with her husband, Steen. Peritoneal dialysis at night is now their settled ‘new normal’. Ruth says, ‘It is in the challenges of life where we grow in recognising the Lord’s enabling and faithfulness. Like the psalmist, we grow in knowing the goodness of the Lord’s love and his great mercy. All praise be to him!’
Knowing God’s will
by Anne Hansen
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Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).
Read Psalm 100
‘Elisabeth Elliot once stayed in the farmhouse of a Welsh shepherd and his family high in the mountains of North Wales. She stood watching one misty summer morning as the shepherd on horseback herded the sheep with the aid of his champion Scottish collie. The collie, she realised, was in its glory. It was doing what it had been bred and trained to do. Its eyes were always on the sheep, but its ears were dedicatedly tuned to obey its master. Through obedience, the dog had experienced its glory. The same is true in the spiritual realm, as Mrs Elliot insightfully summarised: “To experience the glory of God’s will for us means absolute trust. It means the will to do his will, and it means joy.”’ (Story by Kent and Barbara Hughes)
We are made in God’s image and to know and do the will of God. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all followed God’s will without question? What if we allowed God to guide us to better places and we, like sheep, followed? God is not asking us to be sheep to be herded by him and just follow without thinking. God gave us amazing minds to think and a free will to choose. God wants us to follow him and live with him in perfect harmony, but that is our choice.
He will never leave us. As in the story above, the Scottish shepherd was watching, caring and helping when danger approached. The sheepdog was dedicated to doing what the shepherd asked, but he also allowed the sheep to wander on their own. But once you have experienced God’s glory and know his love and trust him in all ways, you will want to do his will and be his children (sheep of his pasture). God never leaves his children, but he wants us to know and understand his will for our lives and then to share in his glory.
Study and learn to understand the love and will of our loving Father.
Loving Shepherd, lead and guide me in your ways and to know your will for my life. At times I stumble, fall and fail, but I know you are always there to lead me to the living waters of your love. Amen.
Anne Hansen has been the Lutheran Tract Mission development officer for 20 years. She lives in Noosa, Queensland, with her husband, Mark, who is a pastor. She enjoys leading Know Your Bible (KYB) and Mainly Music. For relaxation, Anne enjoys walking, reading, gardening and playing pickleball.