Journey to the Cross

Pause

So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us.

Hebrews 12:1

Listen

Jesus told this parable: “A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’”

Luke 13:6-7

Think

When I was a kid, my dad planted an apple tree in our backyard. Soon our tree grew and produced apples that my mom would use to bake apple pies. Our apple tree did what it was supposed to do just in time every year for my family to enjoy delicious desserts. What a good tree!

Unlike my family’s apple tree, the tree in today’s Scripture is struggling. Three years seems like plenty of time for it to do what it was made to do — produce fruit — but for some reason, this tree isn’t ready.

Do you ever feel like the tree that Jesus described? Do you ever feel like you’re not yet who you want to be? Maybe there are people in your life who seem impatient with you. Maybe you feel impatient with yourself.

Don’t give up! Hold on. Keep watching. Be patient and trust that God is working in your life and growing you into the person you are meant to be. You are a good tree!

Dixie Ford

Pray

God, help me to be patient with myself today. Help me to trust that you are working in my life and that who I am is whom you love. Amen.

Go

As you go, hear the words of Jesus,

encouraging you on your journey:

“Look, I myself will be with you every day.” (Matthew 28:20)