Cultivating fruit: The fruit of the Spirit (IV)

The Scripture says that when seeds are planted in the ground fruit is produced all by itself (Mark 4:28 NIV). But the fruit is also commanded, for example love is part of the fruit (Galatians 5:22), but we are also commanded to love (John 13:34). So which is it, and is it automatic, or is it the result of obedience? The parable of the sower (Mark 4:3- 20) gives us insight into the fact that the yield is dependent on the soil (of our hearts), and what is growing along with the planted seed. If the soil is “rocky” indicating our allowing offence provoked by trials and persecution, then the growth is cut off by the “heat” of it (verses 16,17). If the seed is planted among the “weeds” in our lives (the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things), then the grown is choked (verses 18,19) and we become unfruitful!

It seems to me, that the individual aspects of the fruit of the Spirit are choked or circumvented in different ways, by different “weeds” or offences. Love is choked by bitterness and resentment. Peace is robbed from us by anxiety. Gentleness is thrown out of the window by anger. Faithfulness his sabotaged by the unfaithfulness of others as we ask ourselves “What’s the point of me being faithful, when nobody else is?” Self-control is thwarted by feeding our hearts on the sinful desires of our hearts by either refusing or failing, by the Spirit, to crucify the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

So we come back again to the Lord’s desire that truth be in the “inward parts” of the heart (Psalm 51:6). It is not enough to simply clean up on the outside, cleaning the “outside of the cup,” but not dealing with our issues (Matthew 23:25). Nor is it enough to be saying the right thing, and teaching the truth, but not being doers of the Word (James 1:22). Jesus condemns those who “draw near with their mouths, but their heart is far from Me.” The things that defile come out of the heart (Matthew 15:18, 19), or in the language of this morning’s post, choke the growth of the fruit. So then our job, it is to weed the garden, and to feed the soil of our hearts with the nutrients of the Word of God. When we do this we will produce fruit some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold (Mark 4:8).

Father, Your word tells us that when the farmer plants the soil he has no idea how the seed actually grows (Mark 4:2). In the same way we have no idea how the fruit grows in our lives when we come to You in the ways we are talking about this morning. I only know that it works, I only know that I now walk in victory in things over which at one point I had no control whatsoever. So perhaps the aspects of the fruit of Your spirit that we need most are patience and long-suffering. Patience to continue steadfastly in the long growth process of cultivating the fruit of your Spirit, and long-suffering so as not be offended. So help us this morning Lord, to get over the offences of this life, to get the weeds out of our lives, and to feed on the faithfulness of Your amazing acceptance, love mercy and forgiveness. And we will continue give You the honour and glory and praise, in Jesus Name Amen