TEXT: THERE WERE PRESENT AT THAT SEASON SOME THAT TOLD HIM OF THE GALILAENS,WHOSE BLOOD PILATE HAD MINGLED (MIXED) WITH THEIR SACRIFICES.
AND JESUS ANSWERING SAID UNTO THEM, SUPPOSE ( DO YOU THINK) THAT THE GALILAEANS WERE SINNERS ABOVE ALL THE GALILAEANS, BECAUSE THEY ALL SUFFERED SUCH THINGS? I TELL YOU, NAY: BUT, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH. OR THOSE EIGHTEEN, UPON THE TOWER OF SILOAM FELL, AND SLEW THEM, THINK YE THAT THEY WERE SINNERS (DEBTORS) ABOVE ALL MEN THAT DWELT IN JERUSALEM? HE SPAKE ALSO THIS PARABLE; A CERTAIN MAN HAD A FIG TREE PLANTED IN HIS VINEYARD; AND HE CAME A SOUGHT FRUIT THEREON, AND FOUND NONE. THEN HE SAID TO THE DRESSER OF HIS VINEYARD, BEHOLD, THESE THREE YEARS I COME SEEKING FRUIT ON THIS FIG TREE, AND FIND NONE, AND FIND NONE: CUT IT DOWN; WHY CUMBERETH IT THE GROUND?
AND HE ANSWERING SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, LET IT ALONE THIS YEAR ALSO, TILL I SHALL DIG ABOUT IT, AND DUNG IT.; AND IF IT BEAR FRUIT, WELL: AND IF NOT, THEN AFTER THAT THOU SHALL CUT IT DOWN. [13: 1-9]. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHEN I READ LUKE'S GOSPEL PASSAGE, THAT IT COULD BE ANYBODY'S FAVORITE. ONE OF ITS BIG WORDS IS THE WORD "REPENT"; AND WETHER THAT MEANS: FACE UP TO YOUR SINS AND CONFESS THEM, "OR TURN AROUND REORIENT YOUR LIFE," IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH APPEAL, DOES IT?" TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THERE'S THE STORY OF THE BARREN FIG TREE. WHICH FACES THE OPTION OF PRODUCING FRUIT OR GETTING CHOPPED DOWN-WHICH AGAIN WHEN APPLIED TO OUSELVES, IS LESS THEN INVITING. SO ON THE SURFACE, AT LEAST, IT ADDS UP TO A RATHER GLOOMY WORD AAND IT'S NO BODY'S FAVORITE.
AND YET THERE MAY BE SOMETHING IN IT THAT WILL DO US MORE GOOD THAN PASSAGES WE LIKE MUCH BETTER. REMEMBER, THE GOAL OF ALL SCRIPTURE IS THAT WE BE RENEWED AND STRENGTHENED. WETHER OUR LORD SPOKE WORDS OF WARNING, OF REPRIMAND, OR OF GOOD CHEER., HIS PURPOSE WAS ALWAYS TO BUILD UP, TO REMEDY, TO HELP PEOPLE KNOW THE LIFE HE CALLED ABUNDANT.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, ISN'T IT? WE WANT MANY THINGS, OF COURSE- SOME OF THEM IN CONFLICT WITH OTHERS; AND OUR EXPRESSED WANTS ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.YET DEEP DOWN, WHERE NOT EVEN THE GENERATION GAP SEPARATES US, WE NEED AND WANT ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THINGS. WE WANT OUR LIFES TO COUNT FOR SOMETHING. WE WANT AN OUTLOOK ON LIFE THAT MAKES SENSE.. WE NEED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD AT LARGE AND WITH GOD. CALL THEM "SPIRITUAL" NEEDS- OR HUMAN NEEDS- WHATEVER THEY ARE, WE ALL HAVE THEM, AND WE SEEK TO FULFILL THEM IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THE TROUBLE IS WE TEND TO LOOK IN THE WRONG PLACES, TRY YHE WRONG THINGS,, PURSUE..." THE WRONG GOALS, JESUS SAID, " SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD." AND OUR OTHER NEEDS WILL BE FULFILLED. BUT WE'RE NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT, ARE WE? SO WE FIND OURSELVES DENYING WHAT HE SAID AND GOING OUR OWN WAY. WHAT OUR LORD PROMISES AND GIVES ARE ON HIS TERMS, NOT OURS.
SO IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY WITH THE WORD "REPENT." - MEANING, TURN AROUND, CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING, STOP MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. "THE TIME IS FULFILLED,"
THE STORY OF THE FIG TREE, THOUGH A SENSE A WARNING, IS IN ANOTHER SENSE A RELIEF- A GOOD WORD OF GRACE. IT SAYS WE COUNT FOR SOMETHING. WHAT WE DO MATTERS. LIFE IS NOT A TALE TOLDBY AN IDIOT,FULL OF SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING. THERE'S A PURPOSE AND A GOAL. INSTEAD OF ABANDONING US TO OUR FUTILE WAYS, GOD EXPECTS US TO BEAR FRUIT. THE TREE WAS NOT CHOPPED DOWN; REMEMBER; IT WAS FERTILIZED AND GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE.
SO THERE IS HOPE! WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT IT? WE MUST REALIZE FIRST THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD IS A FAITH-RELATIONSHIP. NOTHING MORE OR LESS.
FOR FAITH RELATIONSHIP IS BASED BY THE PROMISES OF GOD. WE TEND TO FORGET THAT, FOR WE HAVE A TENDECY TO BASE OUR FAITH ON FEELINGS. WE TRUST GOD, WE WORSHIP HIM, SERVE HIM ACCORDING TO HOW WE FEEL AT THE MOMENT. FAITH NEEDS TO BE BASED ON SOMETHING STEADIER AND MORE RELIABLE THEAAN OUR FEELINGS, WRITES PAMELLA REEVES.
FAITH IN HIS PROMISES
REMEBER EVERYTHING STARTS WITH PRAYER!."
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