In John 15, Jesus tells us that we have a divine appointment to bear much fruit, and it glorifies God greatly when we do.
We produce more not by doing more, but by being more in Christ. We bear fruit simply by abiding in the Vine. When we are much with Christ, we bear much fruit. Out of our association with Him, life springs forth, virtue emerges, and a heart for the things God cares about starts to ooze out of us.
The thing is, we are such creatures of habit. We like formulas and we have an innate tendency to make our successes and advancements all about us. I can’t tell you how many times God – in His loving and gentle way – has corrected me, disciplined me, and redirected me when my toes slipped off the path of humble obedience. Without realizing it, I had somehow wandered to a path of obligation, fear of others’ opinions, ‘ought-to’s’ and ‘should-do’s’.
Jesus loves us too much to sit by and watch us squander our energies on things that will bear no eternal value.
Effective work, done for the wrong reasons may make a splash on earth but will not cause a ripple effect into eternity.
If we want to bear fruit that changes our world and lasts beyond our time on earth, we need to practice the presence of God and get our marching orders from Him.
He will tell us when to run and when to rest.
How high to jump and when to bow down.
We serve a great God!
What have you learned along the way about motives and serving God?
