This year in our garden has seen a bumper harvest of loganberries and blueberries, for whatever reasons. Almost all have been picked, and most have been frozen, awaiting time to eat them in one form or other. This year's fruiting loganberry canes have been cut away, and next year's canes have been tied up, in preparation for next year's harvest!
Red Currants and gooseberries are all picked, and frozen, and the bushes pruned for next year's harvest.
The apples have to wait for several weeks until they are ready. And while we wait for them, we shall start raiding the hedgerows for the free harvest of blackberries!
But I learn many lessons for my life of following Jesus from this enjoyable activity.
Jesus spoke of fruit growing as a model of the work of God in our lives. '“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.' (John 15.1-4)
One of the most formative periods in my life was shaped by my reading and reflecting on these and the following verses over a period of several months.
All of us can be fruitful in our spiritual lives, so long as we remain connected to Jesus throughout our days. While His life flows freely in and through us, we will be channels of blessing and life to all around us. And that is Good News indeed.
Best wishes,
Richard
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