The Fruit On Your Own Tree Is Always Sweeter

     The picture is of a tree a friend of mine grafted and gave me a few years ago. These persimmons need another tree to pollinate, but if a skillful arborist grafts two trees together it will self-fruit, pollinate itself. There's a whole spiritual application there about us being grafted into Christ, but that's not what I'm thinking about this morning as I write. 

     I planted that tree, watered it, fertilized it, weeded it, sprayed it for bugs, and was terrifically excited when, after two years of potential fruit, I finally saw those little green orbs forming on the branches. This Fall, if the opossums don't get them first, I am going to pluck those persimmons when they become perfectly ripe and enjoy the sweetest, bestest, most awesome persimmons I have ever had.

     Those persimmons will be better than any I have ever tasted, for one reason alone. They came off my very own persimmon tree in my very own orchard. If you have an orchard, or grow a vegetable garden, you know something other people don't. The fruit off your own tree and the vegetables out of your own garden are far more satisfying to eat than anything anyone can buy in any green market or store. 

     You really need to get that truth. There is a lot of sweet fruit in this life. There are worship services that lift our sous. There are teachers and preachers that stimulate our minds. There are books and studies that open our eyes to tasty Biblical truths. There are conferences we return home from that we think everyone else just absolutely must attend when they come around again. Mimi and Paw-paw have such a genuine faith, and we are so blessed when we are around them. That child's response to the children's sermon was so precious. It is all so good, but none of it is as sweet as the fruit on your own tree.

     While the world needs to see the fruit of God in and on your life, it's there for another reason. It is there for you to enjoy, realizing how sweet it is that the great and gracious Creator has grafted you into Christ through faith in Christ, placing His Spirit within you so that you will bare fruit.  But, that fruit does not grow unless you water the tree, fertilize the tree, spray the tree for bugs, nurture the tree, protect the fruit from predators, and do all of that continually until the fruit is ready to eat. 

     You must believe in Christ. You must choose to surrender your life to His plan and process. You must abide in His Word, prayer, worship and service. You must obey. You will never experience the joy of the abundant life, never joyfully taste the sweet, sweet fruit of Christ if you don't.

Please, take time to read more: John 14 & 15