Fruit in the Lowlands

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bearing fruit, being in the valley, Christian growth, christian journey, christian walk, encouragement, encouraging word, encouraging words to get you going, fruit, growth, mountain versus valley, quick encouragment

The other day my husband and I were discussing the Biblical account of Zacchaeus. You remember, he’s the “wee, little man” who climbed up in the sycamore tree to see Jesus in Luke 19.

As we were talking, he told me about a discovery that he had made recently. He said the name “sycamore” actually meant “rebirth”. So, when Zacchaeus chose to climb that sycamore tree, he was choosing to be in a place where rebirth could occur.

In those first steps to find Jesus, he was trying to draw nigh to God. We know from James 4:8 that when we draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to us. He just can’t help Himself. It’s who He is.

This discussion led me to look up every time the word sycamore was used in the Bible.

Take a guess. How many times do you think sycamore occurs in the Bible?

There are eight occurrences in the Bible regarding sycamore trees. Almost every single occurence refers to where they were grown. They were grown in the land of Judah in a place called Shephelah. It just so happens that Shephelah is in the lowlands. It’s actually the term used for the whole region of the lowlands.

Take a minute to read First Kings 10:27. It says, “The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.”

Other references in First Chronicles 27:28, Second Chronicles 1:15, and Second Chronicles 9:27 also talk about where sycamores grew.

The fact that sycamores are grown in the lowlands reminded me that rebirth can only happen when we humble ourselves, when we are willing to seek God’s face in meekness and when we are willing be in the lowlands.

I think Christians and non-Christians alike don’t enjoy being in the lowlands of life. We all enjoy riding high on life. The lowlands? No, thank you. We are fine on the mountain. When we do have a lowland experience, we want to run through it quickly, but we want to meander as slowly as possible when we’re on the mountain. At least, that’s how I am.

In studying the geography of the lowlands, I found this: “the Shephelah was a zone of low, rolling foothills separating the high, rugged hill country of Judah from the flat, open coastal plain. The heavy runoff from the western slopes of the hill country flows into a series of six broad, shallow valleys furrowed into the soft limestone of the Shephelah, each of which is a focal point of rich, agricultural life. Historically, the Shephelah as a whole, and its six valleys in particular, has been a buffer zone between the hill country and the coast…” The Rose Then and Now Bible Map goes on to say that people in the Shephelah were more rural and conservative than on either side, but “the Shephelah, a true land between was desired by both.”

Even though the Shephelah was in the lowlands, it was desired because of the agriculture, because of the fruit it was capable of bearing. I pray that is how we begin to look at our lowlands, as places of rich fruit.

The mountains are beautiful yes, but its climate is not conducive to growing much of anything. Have you ever seen huge fields of wheat, or a massive grove of fruit trees growing on the side of a mountain? Not usually. But, in the lowlands of the Shephelah there is rich agriculture. Everyone wanted the Shephelah region due to the yield that it could produce.

We should desire our lowlands as well knowing that in those places God can till and tend and grow fruit that we never dreamed possible.

John 15:8 says, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.”

Since fruit is in the lowlands, that’s where we want to be, isn’t it?

When we understand the ministry of the lowlands, we find that they are places of replenishment, of rekindling and a place to develop a deeper level of trust in the Lord. The lowlands can be tough, but they are places of rebirth where everything has the possibility of change. The lowlands provide a feeding of our soul that otherwise would be missed if we were only on the mountains. Refinement requires being at peace in the lowlands.

An amazing example of fruit in the lowlands are the early Christians in the book of Acts. The book of Acts doesn’t have to say the word fruit for it to be obvious that a massive harvest was being produced. The Christians in the book of Acts were definitely in the lowlands physically speaking. They were being ridiculed, thrown in jail, beaten, and even killed for the cause of Christ, but the fruit they bore was remarkable. In fact, their lowland experience is still bearing fruit today. They took advantage of their time in the lowlands. They trusted God for the fruit.

Psalm 25:10 says, “All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”

Let’s be thankful for every path that He leads us to. Let’s not run through our lowlands as quickly as possible, but absorb every moment, every lesson, and every opportunity to bear fruit. Before you know it, we will be headed to the mountain once again with a bag full of fruit, shallowness of soul gone forever and a richer trust in the Lord than we ever thought possible.

Ask yourself, “Am I in a lowland experience right now?”

If you are, are you thankful?

Why, or why not?

What changes can I make to bear more fruit in my lowland experiences?

Refinement requires being thankful for all the lessons God has for us, even if it means we are in the lowlands.

** Image by ExploreTraveler

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We Are Planting Trees, Not Wheat

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a word for the discouraged, bearing fruit, being a fruitful christian, don't give up, encouragement, encouragement for the weary, fruit in God's time, God's harvest, harvest for the Kingdom, more than we ever imagined, no need to be discouraged, nothing to be discouraged about, planting for God's kingdom, sowing and reaping, steady plodding, trusting the Master Gardener

Psalm 1:1-3 says, “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.”

“Whatever he does prospers”…hmmm.

Doesn’t feel like it at times, does it?

Feels like we sow seeds that never germinate.

Feels like we plant seeds over and over again with no results.

Feels like a “hard row to hoe”, as many of us grew up saying.

But, when we remember verse three in this passage, everything changes.

When we remember we are planting trees, our perspective changes.

Trees take a long time to grow, even longer to bear fruit. Wheat comes up quickly, but is used up. One season and wheat’s value is over. The chaff of wheat is not even good for a season. The Word tells us that the wicked, those who are not following God are like chaff, but those that are following God’s leading are like planted trees. That’s why the Word can promise us that “whatever he does prospers.” Every seed that’s planted, every weed that’s plucked, and every waiting period is not wasted because we are planting trees, not wheat.

Sometimes, planting a tree looks like teaching Sunday School year after year, never knowing whether the seeds you are planting are really taking root. Don’t worry, you are planting trees, not wheat.

Sometimes, planting a tree looks like teaching Vacation Bible School to the same rowdy kids year after year. Don’t give up. You are planting trees, not wheat.

Sometimes, planting a tree looks like home schooling two head-strong boys for fifteen years. Don’t worry. You are planting trees, not wheat.

Sometimes, planting a tree looks like ministering to the same couple with the same problems week after week. Don’t stress. You are planting trees, not wheat.

Sometimes, planting a tree looks like being kind to the meanest person in the neighborhood day after day. Don’t worry. You are planting trees, not wheat.

So, keep planting, keep sowing, and keep trusting the Master Gardener to watch over those precious seeds. Allow Him to water, to weed, and to nurture until those seeds become the most fruitful trees you ever imagined. Don’t be discouraged if results take a while, years even, because we are not planting wheat. We are not planting seeds that are only good for a short season. Be encouraged. We are planting trees.

 Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by blogdailyherald.com

 

 

Lessons in the Blackberry Patch (Part One)

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all things for good, bearing fruit, burdens, calling, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, devotions, encouragement, encouragment, exhaustion, faith, focus, fruit, much fruit, perspective, tasks, weary in well doing, work in the fields, worth it

My family has recently found a wild blackberry patch growing in the field behind our home. So, my youngest and I go out about every third day and pick all the blackberries that we can find. Let me tell you, we need jeans and bug spray and heavy shoes, but it is awesome to be able to pick blackberries that we never planted, haven’t been sprayed with pesticides and would cost quite a bit of money at Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. It’s some kind of amazing to pick bounty for your belly straight from God Himself.

As we were picking berries this morning, I happened to drop one. I bent to pick it up and ended up on my knees. I looked up and lo and behold there were more beautiful, ripe blackberries in spots I never dreamed. I was amazed that I hadn’t seen them before. If I had still been standing, I would have never realized that they were there! I recognized in that moment that I just needed the right perspective to see all the fruit. I needed to be on my knees, looking up.

Over the years, verses like Matthew 12:33 and John 15:5 and 8 have frustrated me. They say things like, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit.” “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” “…for the tree is known by its fruits.” Frustrating stuff because I know I’m a disciple of Christ. I think I’m abiding. I think I want God to receive glory, but where’s the fruit?

As I was kneeling on the ground this morning, I realized the fruit is there. When I am abiding in Christ, when His Spirit has invaded every part of me at my request and when I am seeking His face with every fiber of my being, the fruit is there. I just need the right perspective and the right perspective is not getting distracted with the overgrowth, the thorns, or what fruit is in someone else’s bowl. The right perspective is acquired when I am on my knees, looking up at my Savior. Then, I am able to see the fruit that He has allowed in my life.

Second Thessalonians 3:13 says, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” When we don’t readily see the fruit in a situation, we can grow weary. Our tasks become harder when we don’t see results. But, by having the right perspective, we are in a position to better see His fruit in our life. When we are on our knees looking to Him, the thorns aren’t so tangled and the nettles aren’t invading our senses quite so much. We can actually see the fruit and be encouraged.

So, let’s get on our knees each day. Let’s look up and ask God to show us the fruit that He has allowed to grow in our lives. Has that teenager in your life decided that they won’t immediately leave when you enter the room? Will the neighbors let you prayer for them now? Has your spouse decided to give your marriage one more try? Has your youngest quit complaining about going to church? There is fruit. We just need to kneel down to see it.

We also need to remember that when we get to our heavenly home, we will have the best perspective of all. As we are on our knees before our Father, I have no doubt that He will pull away the branches, the thorns and the weeds that were as big as we were in this life, lift our precious faces and say, “Look at all this fruit, sweet one. Look what you allowed Me to grow in your life.” And as we look up with His gentle prodding, I believe our jaws will drop. I believe that our faces will light up and we will be amazed at all the fruit that grew in our lives without our even knowing about it. We will be assured that every task was worth it. Every opportunity did bear fruit. We just needed the right perspective. We needed His.