Roots and Fruits
Written by Sarah de Orlando
I’m not the best plant mom. The idea of lush leaves and blossoms delights my heart, but I forget to water my little darlings. For example, this spring, I grew zinnias from seeds with my eager toddler but haven’t consistently watered them. The summer rays in Texas scorch them daily, and their petals look like concrete with a hint of dusty rose. They began as tiny, flat seeds full of dreams to become sunrise blossoms.
Similarly, as I reflect on a fruitful oak tree by the stream, it was not always a tree. Instead, it started as a humble acorn with the potential to become a graceful giant with branches dancing in the breeze. As a seed, the fruit to come was only a hope, but good fruits were inevitable once the seed sprouted, grew, and grew into a magnificent oak.
You, too, began like a seedling, planted in God’s love with the potential to grow into the design and plan he has for you. On that journey, you are transforming and becoming a fruitful tree. Your fruits will come by grace of the Holy Spirit as you live rooted in God’s love and truth.
Delicious, nourishing fruits develop by having a growing relationship with God. It may include reading God’s Word and declaring it over your life. You may also memorize Scripture, join a small group, corporate worship, and be prayerful in all situations. But the most important thing is to spend time with the Lord and learn who he is and who you are in him. He longs for a relationship with you where you dwell, dip your toes in the stream’s current, and dance in the wind—a light and trusting heart that the good Gardener will provide what you need to flourish. When we obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings in our hearts, love will abound, and joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will abound (Galatians 5:22-23).
We are no longer in our old nature, so we have the power to choose by the Holy Spirit to bring life instead of death. Unlike those who don’t yet follow Jesus, we have a beautiful choice to have life and say no to our impure desires (see Galatians 5:19-21). Look at Paul’s life in Acts - he was shipwrecked, beaten, left for dead, robbed, and stoned. Yet, he followed GodB’s plan and obeyed the Holy Spirit’s lead (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-27). He had unquenchable joy while he sat in prison, writing to the church at Philippi. Christ was with him, and his life in Christ far outweighed living outside of God’s grace and plan for his life.
Paul encourages, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put into practice. And the peace of God will be with you” (Philippians 4:9 NIV). The peace comes when you choose to obey and trust God’s love and will for your life. Peace isn’t when everything is going well, like a leisurely Sunday drive down a country road. Take heart! We can produce good fruit even in drought and heartache. Paul’s life is a powerful example for us to recenter our hearts.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
Yes, even in droughts, you produce fruits in Christ when everything else seems withered to a crisp in a drought. What a promise! Now that is profound hope to cling to, friend.
Our nature in Christ, our spiritual DNA, shows Jesus to others as we abide in him, get rooted in him, and trust his love and grace to sustain our weary hearts. So my blessing for you this week is two-fold. First, may your hearts get rooted deeper into Christ’s love. And second, may you flourish continually with many good fruits from the Holy Spirit.
CALL TO ACTION:
Meditate on Jeremiah 17:7-8 in light of the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22. What do you sense God saying to you?
How can you be better rooted in Christ this week?
