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.
Full Assurance 36th Day in Lent (Tuesday) Read: Hebrews 10:19-23 “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:22-23 (NIV)
As a child, I remember our family really enjoyed fish and seafood of all sorts. One year I remember we got together with friends and went crabbing at some mudflats near Adelaide. We had to have old shoes on – in case the crabs got our toes – and a bucket and spade. I was younger so I went with an adult. The way to find crabs is to look for the bubbles on the surface of the very wet sand/mud and then dig down with a spade and see what comes up. I remember getting so dirty with mud and sand that my father would not let us in the car until we had washed the mud off.
We ended up getting quite a few crabs that we shared between the families. Quite a feast! You may also remember times when you got dirty, muddy or just covered with dust. Every day we get dirty – if not on the outside, it’s on the inside when we do wrong things, hurt someone else, or even think bad things. That is where it is important to be washed. We can do the outside with a shower or bath, but it is only God who can clean us on the inside. In the Bible verse above we read that Jesus cleans us through the sprinkling of water (baptism) and in verses 19 and 20 we are told that it is by the blood of Jesus that we can be totally cleansed and brought before God as His holy people. We are another day closer to Good Friday when Jesus suffered and died for our sake. Why do we call it ‘Good’ Friday?
Because that is the day that Jesus (the Son of God) put His life on the line for all our dirtiness and wrongdoing which made us unacceptable to God. Through the precious blood of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross we can draw close to God with full assurance of our forgiveness. Hold onto this faith and the hope – for God’s promises are sure and He is faithful.
Prayer: My Saviour Jesus, thank you for cleaning me inside and out so that I can be forgiven and acceptable in your Father’s sight. You bless me each day with the full assurance of this forgiveness. Amen.
My Secure Anchor 35th Day in Lent (Monday) Read: Hebrews 6:16-20 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19a (NIV)
While living in Loxton we got ourselves a little runabout boat to tour the Murray River and to have some fun with inflatables that we pulled behind it. One weekend we took the boat out for a picnic to have on board with the children. We motored to a lovely inlet just off the main Murray (Katarapko Creek) and my husband put down the anchor. The Murray River is a dangerous river, for there are swift undercurrents as well as holes in the river floor. It is very important to wear a life jacket. We were not planning on swimming as the weather was cool. But… that was until our anchor became stuck and wedged on a tree root.
I volunteered to go in (with a life jacket) to untangle the anchor. We were close to shore, so I thought it wasn’t deep – that was before going in and finding the water over my head. My husband had a hold of my life jacket the whole time I tried to untangle the anchor. I finally got it free, and the boat started to drift off. But my husband kept ahold of me. I really love the analogy that Paul uses for God as an anchor. There are so many things around us that keep changing – circumstances with family, finances, jobs; but that is what is so wonderful about God – He will never let go of us in any circumstance.
This is the hope that we hold onto. This can encourage us when faced with seemingly calm waters, but underneath are huge currents and holes which can cause us to go under. God holds onto us in all and every situation. He is a firm and secure anchor! We are going through Holy Week. Yesterday we celebrated with the King entering Jerusalem, today we walk with Jesus towards the cross. For God to send His Son to the cross for our sake, sealed our salvation. God’s love for us is unwavering – He has promised us eternal life, and He sealed it for us forever with an oath. His sinless Son would take our sin upon Himself on the cross and then rise to glory. This promise for us is sure!
Prayer: My loving Father, thank you that you hold onto me and will never let me go. You love me with an unfailing love. Help me to share the hope of life eternal with you. Amen.
Christ Our Hero Palm/Passion Sunday Read: Hebrews 3:1-6 “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hebrews 3:6 (NIV)
Many have heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) for his unfailing faith and hope in His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and expressed anti-Nazi sentiments during WW2 for which he was imprisoned for two years. Due to his resistance to the Nazi regime, he was hung for his beliefs in Flossenbürg Concentration Camp one month before the end of WW2 in Europe.
He was considered a hero of the faith, for he served as an example of faithfulness to his Lord. He never thought himself a hero, rather Deitrich emphasised that the greatest heroism and salvation comes from Jesus Christ. Today is Palm Sunday and we celebrate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as a King. Later this week we see the sentiments change very quickly, with Jesus being sentenced to death as a usurper and troublemaker by the very people He was trying to save. But today we see Him being heralded as a King.
People saw Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a martyr of the faith, but really it is Jesus who Dietrich was defending who was the martyr. Bonhoeffer was faithful to the end, but Jesus has been faithful to His Heavenly Father from the beginning of time. Jesus returned to Jerusalem knowing that He was going to His death, but the people greeted Him with loud ‘Hosannas’ – He was coming to be their King and Saviour. The people of the time wanted Jesus as an earthly King to overthrow the Roman Government, but Jesus came to overthrow the power that sin and death has on everyone.
He came as a Heavenly King. This is the hope that we hold on to. We have a hope and confidence in Jesus as our Saviour. The Bible verse encourages all believers to hold tight to this hope and to remain faithful to the end. Bonhoeffer and other heroes of the faith were faithful to their Lord and Saviour which remind us to also hold fast to our faith and hope. Jesus Christ remains faithful to us, let us remain faithful to Him!
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you love me with an everlasting love. Your grace and love bring me the hope of salvation and life everlasting with you. Hosanna in the Highest! Amen.