Tuesday Reading: Matthew 21:17-22
Key Verse: Matthew 21:19
19 And seeing a fig tree in the way, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, let no fruit grow on you forever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.
Devotion:
This is one of the stories in our bibles that may raise questions rather than answering them to people who are not willing to look into the bible. Christ’s ways are beyond our understanding but the more that we do read His Word the more that we will be able to understand some of His ways. On the face of it this may seem a bit harsh for the fig tree; just because it had no fruit Christ made it wither away. But when we take what happened and apply it into our lives then we see a whole new light on the subject!
Christ was comparing this fig tree to us and our lives. If a fig tree produces fruit then it is useful and is good to be kept and nurtured. But if the fig tree does not produce any fruit, then what use is it? We need to be fruitful in our work for Christ because unless we are willing to take His name forward then we are as useless as the barren fig tree. It does not matter how small a contribution we do make, so long as we do make a contribution! Like many fruit, figs are not found all year round but rather in season. If we read this same story in the gospel of Mark he states that the fig was out of season – and yet Christ still made it wither. If we are only going to produce fruit for Christ when we think it is good, then we are not fulfilling out true potential.
Christ would have us to take His name forward all year round, every day and hopefully all the time. If we walk with Christ constantly then we are taking His name with us always. God is the one who has created all life and He certainly can stop it all too. Christ made sure that the disciples realised that faith is something that has to be constantly nurtured and then it will always be fruitful. If we let out faith slide all year round until it comes back to Easter or to Christmas then we are not doing our best for Christ! He is faithful to answer our prayers, we need to be faithful and to ask – that way we are constantly taking His name forward with us.
Points to Ponder:
Would you like to have fruit all year round?
Are you taking Christ with you always?
