If you’ve passed the vicarage lately, you may have seen me staring into the tree on the front garden. No, it’s not a new form of meditation. I’ve been looking for fruit.
The favourable summer weather this year has helped all our outside trees to form young fruit. As well as apples, pears and plums, it looks like we will actually have some quinces in the front garden this year. In case you’re wondering, quinces are a very hard fruit, and have to be boiled before they can be eaten. Once cooked, they emit a marvellous fragrance, a bit like Turkish Delight.
God desires fruit too. No, not quinces or apples, but spiritual fruit. The fruit that God can grow from us is listed in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. There’s a long list, with a top three of love, joy and peace. Jesus talked about himself as being like a central branch that holds the other branches, allowing them to grow and bear fruit too. When we are connected in relationship with God, it’s as if these good values pass from through to us, as if we were branches on a tree. We, too, can be bearers of love, joy and peace.
In a world getting to grips with the aftermath of a global pandemic, spiritual fruit is needed. The world needs people with love, joy and peace. The church has a job to do right now, since the world needs Christians to bring the love of God to those needing it in our communities.
Spiritual fruit can’t be found in Morrisons or Amazon, but it’s probably one of the most needed commodities right now. All you need to do is ask God to fill you with his Holy Spirit, which will start the growth process in you.
Here’s to a good crop of fruit!
Every blessing
Angela