Author: Bellissiwarriors

Over the weekend my daughter called me. She had an obligation that she wasn’t really looking forward to meeting. Other things seemed more worthwhile. But in her less tired moments, she knew that the Lord had placed her in that original position and He had called her to that first task. And I was reminded of the following exchange between Jesus and Simon because Jesus the carpenter knew when the time was right for fishing far better than Simon the fisherman did –

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.” 

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But because you say so, we’ll try again.” - Luke 5:4-5

I love Simon’s beautiful answer – “Because you say so.” In spite of what I think, without regard to my own experience and expertise, but simply because You say to do it. I also think there’s something subtle to be gleaned from what Jesus says: “Now go out.” 

Simon and the others were experts in their craft and they hadn’t been lax in their efforts, but their hard work hadn’t produced any results. Sometimes we might be working hard in a field that doesn’t seem to be producing much fruit. We’ve prayed for that friend or loved one, and their burden isn’t any lighter. We’ve stayed in the job, the situation, the relationship and nothing’s really changed. And the temptation is to give up, throw in the towel, and turn our attention to something new.

When God says to do something, we can know with confidence that it will produce results. Our problem is that we’re impatient people who quickly tire of waiting for an outcome. But the Christian life is in its essence a life of faith – confident trust in an invisible God to make good on extravagant promises as yet unseen (Hebrews 11:1).

So until we’re given other instructions, our best course is to keep doing the work we’ve been given. Even when it might not seem to be the most fruitful, or worse, when it’s disappointing. The deep work of sanctification is happening when we wait for God to act on our behalf rather than seeking our own solutions to our discontent. This submission and obedience is the natural fruit of faith. 

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  - Galatians 6:9

God’s timing isn’t just right, it’s perfect. Remain steadfast. You can be sure there will be a harvest when Jesus says, “Now.”

One of the fun parts about living in another country where you don’t speak the language is guessing what you’re buying at the store. Familiar brands and products are few and far between and there are completely new flavors to explore. Google translate helps, but I still don’t always know what I’m getting. For example, one type of succo (juice) is frutti di bosco – the literal translation is ‘fruit of the forest’. I lived in Michigan for a long time, which has both lots of forests and lots of fruit, but I’m still not certain which fruit would qualify as the fruit of the forest. Fortunately there’s a picture on the label and based on that, I’m pretty sure that frutti di bosco is something like mixed berry (and it’s delicious, by the way).

Hanging out in front of the juice display, I got to thinking about how Jesus said, “A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs never grow on thornbushes or grapes on bramble bushes” (Luke 6:44). You can tell what kind of juice you’re going to get when you go straight to the source. 

When buying juice, I can be reasonably sure that the fruit pictured on the carton indicates what kind of juice is inside. But the same isn’t true with people. When placed under pressure, their “juice” doesn’t always match the picture. Some people when squeezed are as sweet as you expected. But with others you quickly find the label was misleading – the juice is sour and burns like acid. 

Paul spells it out in Galatians: “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce… evil results” (Galatians 5:19). Sin produces a bitter vintage. “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s more than just sweet; it’s life giving nectar. 

Every one of us produces some kind of juice when we’re under pressure. On our own, we’re not going to be able to manufacture love, joy, peace, patience, kindness or any of the rest. It’s not possible for a thornbush to produce figs. It’s a function of the Spirit of God at work in a believer that produces those life-giving fruits. Grapes only grow on grapevines. How does He do it? By grafting us onto a new Vine so that we’re no longer what we once were but something completely different (John 15:4-5). Now it’s His goodness that flows through us, His patience or mercy or kindness that’s squeezed out when we’re under pressure, His fruit that we offer to a weary and hungering world.