He is faithful

It was a busy busy weekend…….but wasn’t everyone’s? There just never seems to be enough time is there?

I’m so thankful for these few quite moments I have this morning. God is so good. He is so faithful, He has shown himself strong to me. Through kindness of family, through friends that will pray, through trials and blessings, through laughter and joy……….He has shown himself faithful today.

I am almost at a loss for words………I know me…….quite. Ha.

In April 2006 in my bible next to this verse: “Can both fresh water and salt flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring prouduce fresh water.”………I wrote, “I want to be fresh water!”

I would never know the significance of this verse until we moved into this house……why? Because, I never saw a fig tree before, I’ve never tasted a fig or even saw one…….the closest thing to “figs” I’ve ever had are fignutons (oh I’m sure I mispelled that one.) Well, just so happens that my neighbor (the nice one) He has a fig tree that’s kinda……..in our yard. Like really in our yard. And when we first moved here I thought WHAT AN UGLY BUSH. That’s got to go!

But, obviously God dealt with me that I could not DARE go and tell my sweet elderly neighbor that I thought his “tree” was hideous and we were cutting it down! We did however mention that we might need to “trim” it up just a bit. He was all for that! Having never seen a fig tree before, until this morning, I never made the connections that I did today.

Ya’ll, a fig tree is UGLY, and I mean UGLY. It’s not like an apple tree or orange tree or peach tree that produces a lovely smell with tall beautiful branches. NO, it’s short, it’s got dark limbs and the fruit………it doesn’t smell or look pleasing, but the birds they love it. And the bees……..hee hee, the birds and the bees.=) We DON’T need any “reproductive” trees around here!!! We’re good. Thanks.

Well, I did some research on these “fig” trees and it turns out there’s a lot of connection with scripture and them!!!

Mr.Davis, my neighbor just recently pruned his tree. And to be quite honest, I really didn’t think anything about it. You see, it’s winter, a time preparing for the spring, but also a time where all of God’s creation seems to be “still”. There are no flowers blooming, trees sprouting fruit or grass growing green. It all seems kinda dead…….kinda blah blah. But as we prune, water and tend to our plants…….in the spring, surely they will be beautiful!

I’m sure you see the connection as to where I’m going with this! Today, I feel like it’s spring time! Like God has just poured some water on my head and he has finished a season of “pruning”. It hasn’t been fun, and I’m sure I’ll need some “trim up’s” but, I think I got what God was trying to say to me through it all………..Will you STILL be like Fresh Water?? Will you still find joy even when it’s the hardest? Will you still trust me in the 11th hour? Will you still wait upon me to guide and direct your ways? Will you let me carry your burden so your load is not so heavy?

You see, even on the outside the fig tree is not so pretty. And not everyone likes figs, I’m not to sure I do. Mr.Davis will walk right up to that tree in the summer and just pop one of those things in his mouth. But you know what? Mr.Davis is a “seasoned” man……he is towards the end of his seasons, however STILL A LOT LEFT!!! There’s a lot to be learned from Mr.Davis and his fig tree……..

“The image of the fig tree as community raises questions for readers concerning the ways in which God’s patience and grace continue to form and shape faithful communities. The purpose of the community is to bear fruit that blesses the world.” (from wikipdia)

I pray that as my prunning continues, that I will continue to bear fruit in all seasons and not just in the spring time! But today………although it’s not, it feels like spring time in my soul! And I will rejoice and be glad for HE IS FAITHFUL. And in the spring, I know I will see little figs popping out on that tree and I will be reminded of God’s patience and grace through this time of shaping in my life. He put me right here in this house, perhaps JUST for that reason. That I would see first hand a “fig tree” and be reminded of all He has brought me through.

God’s speaking………what’s He saying to you?

Walking by faith……..never by sight.

~Nicki