In the middle of the night, last might, I woke remembering the cherry tree. I had a dream that I couldn’t quite remember, but I thought of the way Jesus calls us to bear fruit, and how fruit begins with the flower.
On a sunshine-filled day, when I stand under the cherry tree and look up at the blue sky, I can’t explain the joy that fills my heart! Yesterday, and today, the air is humming with bees, and the aroma drifting down is so soft and sweet.
When I immerse in nature like this, I am flooded with ideas. The creative part of me is inspired by shape and color and I wonder how I can capture that fragrance! But I also think of metaphors.
The flowers “testify” to the fact that there is new life beginning in the tree. The fragrance draws the attention of the bees, who come to drink the nectar and collect the pollen. And the “social” aspect of the relationship between the bees and the tree pollinate the flowers so that they can bear fruit. Fruit-bearing can’t happen by the cherry tree alone.
In Revelation, John writes that the saints overcome “by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:10) As Christians, our testimony (which is just the truth of what Jesus has done in our lives), is powerful, because it is the on-going story of Jesus. It draws people, because it speaks Truth, and it is unshakable. It is simply the truth, no matter how wild the actual event. It is what happened to you, and no one can argue with that.
Our testimony of what Jesus has done for us will drift like the beautiful aroma of the cherry tree, drawing those who hunger for the fruit. The thought that there are places where kindness, peace, and gentleness exist attracts the mind in a way similar to the way the white blossoms attract the eye. Can it really be that beautiful? They come closer to find out.
You know your testimony is true, because it happened to you. You were touched by God. You know Jesus. Maybe your face isn’t actually glowing the way Moses’ was when he came down from the mountain after talking face to face with God, but when the Holy Spirit fills you, it does show up on your face. And others can feel it, too, even if they can’t see you.
(Besides, we all enjoy it when someone speaks well of us, don’t we? I know I like it when someone brags me up. It lets me know that person is thinking of me, and believes whatever I did was remarkable enough to share it with others. In the same way, it honors God when we testify to the things that he has done for us, big and small. It shows we are thinking of Him, and love him!)
The testimony we share can open the door not only to connection with others, but it can also show that person how to connect with God on their own. How amazing to speak to the God who made the world, and to know he hears us! We have work to do, and the foundation of that work is to love God and be like Jesus (who faithfully did the work God sent him to do with urgency–John 9:4), and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness (not being easily angered), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Jesus wants to renew all those who believe in him. He starts in our hearts, breaking the hardness out of us and granting us tenderness and faith. We don’t have to be hard because he becomes our protection and confidence.
He loved us before we were born, in spite of our sin; but when we love him back, and surrender ourselves to him, he gets to work. He loves us too much to leave us there, rotting in our sin, dying. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)
He calls us to leave the gross place we were living in behind, and move to a clean, spacious place that He designed just for us.
“He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:19)
And then he wants us to tell others about it. For how else will they know?
“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)
How can we just hold it inside once we have been rescued from death? For we once were lost, too, and facing and eternity of suffering. But someone took the time to tell us their testimony, and to share the good news of salvation with us. We believed, and are now transformed! Our sin, every single one, was forgiven, and God will look at it no more (and neither should we!) Leave it in the dust!
“For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)
Our sin (death) has no power over us, so we don’t have to continue going back to the same old suffering. (That is where sin leads us.) Now we have the opportunity to live! And we will continue to live from the moment we believe onward. While we continue in this body, we will do the work of obedience, leaving our old husks behind as we grow in our trust and submission to Jesus Christ, our Savior. And once we leave this world, we will “put on immortality.” Our souls will wake up with Jesus, we will have the bodies we were always meant to have, and we will never die!
“Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ” (1 Corinthians 15:54 NLT)
So be fruitful! Tell others, so they can drink the living water and eat the bread of life! Did the Lord just bring someone to your mind while you were reading this? Someone who needs to know the truth? Please be strong in the power of God, and have the courage to tell them the way to find real peace and joy (Jesus). And if your courage is small, then think how much you love them and how much you want them to live. Nothing is more empowering than love.
And if you have believed in Jesus in the past, but your life has become clouded, don’t be discouraged. That sad feeling is your friend, if you pay attention. Just turn back to Jesus Christ, look up into his eyes of infinite mercy and repent.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psalm 51:10-12)
Then, with the Holy Spirit inside of you, you will bear much fruit.
The Lord appeared to me of old, saying, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.’ ” (Jeremiah 31:3)
“My Beloved spoke and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come. . .arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Song of Solomon 2:10-13
The Fullers Four 