Perpetual Spring

As I walked from the bus stop today, evidence of spring was all around.  Nearly every tree and shrub had bunches of fresh, new growth at the tip of every branch.  Tender green foliage was noticeable everywhere I looked.  Trees that shed their leaves during winter are now cloaked with bright green, and even our sad lemon and mandarin trees have shoots of new growth.  Last year I trimmed back both trees and was disappointed with the result.  They did not grow, bud, or fruit.  But what a difference spring makes!

My lemon tree has been the source of many good object lessons for me.  It was evident right from the start that a former tenant had taken upon themselves to trim the tree.  It was an utter disaster:  the top was chopped, suckers below the graft were allowed to remain, and it had been neglected.  Insects had ravaged the leaves.  Not only was the tree fighting pests and poor pruning, the location was awful.  Tucked away in the corner of the fence in the shadow of two larger trees, the tree had to fight for water and sun from its oppressive neighbors.  Now both of those trees have been cut back and the new growth is clean and healthy.  Though some of the leaves are curled and stiff, the new leaves are flexible and healthy.

When I consider that tree, I see a multifaceted picture of a Christian.  We have been grafted into Christ and it is He who makes us fruitful.  But even with copious water and sun, there are many enemies which seek to hinder us from growth and fruitfulness.  The traditions and doctrines of men are like ignorant arborists who try to shape us in their image.  Our own misconceptions about God and the Bible can also break boughs and leave us susceptible to disease.  The enemy of our souls is like those pesky insects which damage leaves.  When the new growth first appears, stinkbugs and ants suck the life out of the tender tips and stunt the growth.  Praise God we have a heavenly Gardener who is able to overcome all the obstacles and give us the feeding, trimming, and fertilisation we need.  The more fruitful we are, the more we are pruned so we might bear more fruit.  Pruning, though at times painful, is a way God designed trees and plants to be rejuvenated.

A fruit tree is also an appropriate picture of an individual Church of believers.  Churches have seasons of pruning, growth, sickness, and fruitfulness.  Some leaves might be curled or be a resting place for stinkbugs while boughs are loaded down with fruit.  Growth is an exciting prospect for any church.  A church that is not growing closer to Christ is starting to die.  It's important that as a tree is taking root it is staked for stability.  Yet it is also important that the tree be free to move a little in the wind.  This movement causes the tree to send roots down deeper into the soil.  A church that faces struggles and trials must resist the temptation to rely on particular people or programs for support when Christ is our foundation.  Psalm 1:3 describes such a one:  "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

I don't know about you, but I welcome the changes each season brings to my life and the church of Christ.  God has seen fit to create varieties of deciduous and evergreen trees.  Not only is there diversity in seasons, but also in the way that seeds germinate and grow.  Some trees require fires to germinate their seeds, and others can be carried along in the breeze.  I am excited about the prospect of spiritual growth  and maturity in my life and in Christ's Body, the church.  The key to maximising our potential growth and fruitfulness in any season is abiding in Christ.  Jesus says in John 15:5-8:  "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."  When His Living Water springs in our souls, we will always have the potential of fresh growth and fruitfulness.  In Christ we have perpetual spring!