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.
God’s Chemical Reaction 4th Monday in Advent Read: John 1:1-9 “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” John 1:9 (NIV-UK)
A chemistry professor at a major university tells the story of a young girl who wished to make some potassium hydroxide solution. She decided to throw a large lump of potassium into a bucket of water. The professor, glancing in her direction, saw what she was about to do and hurried towards her. “What are you doing?” he asked. She explained, and then he told her to stir the water in the bucket for five minutes before adding the potassium. “Professor,” she asked with a questioning tone, “why stir the water and why must I do it for five minutes?” The professor replied, “It will give me time to get out of the building.” Some people can anticipate an event without knowing what will happen, others with knowledge can know what is coming and react accordingly.
The same is true with the coming of Jesus at Christmas. It had been foretold throughout the Old Testament that God would be sending a Saviour, a Messiah to bring peace and love to the world. Still when Jesus did come, many did not believe. Jesus had come at Christmas to be the Light of the World. On that night in Bethlehem, God sent His light into the world to shine into the hearts of all people.
We learn from the Bible reading that Jesus was the true light. If you put the word ‘Jesus’ wherever ‘Word’ is written in verses 1-5 of John 1… we read that Jesus had been since the very beginning with God. God had planned that Jesus come as a human to bring light and forgiveness to the lives of the human beings God had created. God knew from the beginning the ‘chemical reaction’ that would occur within the Jewish society of the time. He knew that Jesus would rock the world and cause disruption to people’s lives. Does Jesus cause disruption or peace to your life?
May the Christ-child bring you peace and love this Christmas. Allow Jesus to disrupt your life with His presence and light! Prayer: Dear Jesus, your light comes into my life at Christmas to show me the need for a Saviour. Shine your light into all the dark places in my life and show me how I can serve you. Amen
Turn on Your Light 4th Sunday in Advent Read: Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Luke 15:8 (NIV)
‘The Monuments Men’ is a movie based on a true story about a group of art historians, curators and architects who volunteered to join the military to locate, protect and return stolen art and cultural artifacts that had been stolen during the conflict of World War 2 in Europe. These volunteers had many challenges in working behind enemy lines, navigating war-torn Europe and then identifying the lost items to then be returned to their rightful owners. It was a gripping story and watching it one could sense the frustration in these men trying to locate the lost and stolen precious items.
Until they realised that many of these priceless treasures had been stored in old mines, in the darkness. They were hidden to the world until the ‘Monument Men’ turned on the lights and searched carefully until these priceless treasures were found. The analogy that Jesus makes with the joy that a person has when they discover something that was lost – the lost coin; really can in no way compare to the joy in heaven when one of God’s beloved children turns from the darkness into the light of Jesus. God never gives up on any of His children – He wants all to be saved and live with Him for eternity in Heaven. For this to happen, we as Jesus’ disciples need to share the light of God’s love to each of these people, that they may see the gifts of grace that God offers and leave it to the Holy Spirit to do his work. What a terrific task we have been sent on! To go into the dark places, to search high and low for the lost to be found by Jesus and His love.
Live your daily life with the Holy Spirit guiding and prompting to share when appropriate and as such be the light for others to find their way to the arms of God. God never gives up and neither should we. Invite someone to your Christmas service and begin a conversation. Pray without ceasing and reflect God’s unconditional love. Prayer: Heavenly Father, what joy in heaven there will be when all the lost come to you. Help me to be a light to the lost for them to f ind their way to you. Amen
Eyes Are Lamps 3rd Saturday in Advent Read: Luke 11:33-36 “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light.” Luke 11:34a (NIV)
I recently went to an optometrist to have my eyes checked. I hadn’t been for two years but thought that since I could still see clearly with the glasses I had, I didn’t need to get new glasses. Well, I was wrong. I could still see well, but I could see better! With new glasses, I would decrease the strain my eyes and allow myself to see things more clearly. I like the analogy that Jesus gave His disciples of the eye being a lamp of the body. The clearer we see things the better the body functions with the knowledge given. Shakespeare wrote: ‘eyes are windows to the soul’.
The meaning of this phrase is that a person’s eyes, when observed closely, can reveal their true intentions, feelings, personality and even motivations. While I don’t necessarily agree that we can understand everything through looking at the eyes, I do believe that what we see and understand and then show in our actions can show God working in our lives. When we f ill our whole selves with all that is good, we act accordingly and show good to others. In the second part of the Bible verse 34b, it goes on to say: “But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness.”
Jesus warns His disciples to make sure that they only fill their lives and eyes with good things so that all they do – actions, thoughts and words, will be completely in the light, just like when a lamp shines on them. Our world is filled with both darkness and light. It is easy while watching the news to concentrate only on the bad that is happening. That evil is reigning and taking over, which makes us question: ‘Where are you God?’ Jesus asks us to fill our lives with Him and all that is good.
We need to share the good happening, to share how God is working in our lives, to promote God’s goodness; in this way we fill our eyes and lives with the light of God so others can see this light. Open your eyes to the good! Prayer: Open my eyes Lord, to the good that you are doing in the world and in my life. Help me to grow this light in my whole self to bring light to other people that they may see you. Amen.