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

Getting off my High Horse

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arrogance, battles, being smart, Christian encouragement, Christian growth, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, control, dealing with deceptions, ego, encouragement, helping God, high horse, pride, smartest in the room, vengeance

As a bee searches for pollen, Lord help us to faithfully seek You alone.

I confess. I like for people to think I’m smart. I thought at first it was a stay at home mom thing, but when I think back I’ve wanted to look smart my whole life. I’ve always wanted to be the smartest person in the class and as I grew older it only got worse. In the workplace, I strived hard to be the best in any position I obtained. In every office I worked, I wanted people years down the road to have a tear in their eye as they thought of me, knowing that no other employee could ever measure up. Egotistical, I know, but it’s the plain truth. Today, things haven’t changed that much. When I am in a Bible class and the teacher asks a question, I am usually the annoying one who has all the answers (especially if no one else is quick to answer). I always struggle over whether I’m sharing something from a pure motivation of the Spirit’s prompting, or my own ego wanting to show everyone how much I know. I love Biblical discussions, so it’s hard for me to not engage in every little question.

Unfortunately, this tendency has played out in other areas as well. I especially seem to have an issue in the area of the spiritual correction of others. When you want to be the “smart one”, you must let people know that you aren’t fooled by them. You want them to realize that you are on to their tricks and that you see through their deceptions. You want them to know that you have them figured out. So, over the years, I have said things that I should not have said. I have pushed people in areas that I had no business in and worst of all, I have wanted to be a part of another’s exposure. I have wanted for others to know that I helped God in His punishment (for the glory of God, of course -HA!).

This morning I started reading the story of David and Saul and became engrossed. I started at I Samuel 18:20 and kept reading. I read for several chapters and was reminded of David’s conviction that only God removes His anointed. Only God punishes His people. In First Samuel 24:6, David says, “… ‘Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” David didn’t make the choice to not touch Saul because of Saul, because of his great relationship with Saul’s son Jonathan, or even because of himself. He did not touch Saul because of the LORD.

So, I found myself asking God, “What’s the big deal if I help You out a little? What’s the problem if You are going to deal with them anyway? Why can’t I help?” His answer to my spirit was startling. I was reminded that every single time in the Old Testament an enemy of Israel wreaked havoc on God’s people due to their disobedience, later on that same enemy was punished severely for messing with God’s people. Did God use them for a good cause? Yes. Were they being allowed by God to take joy in getting rid of sin among the Israelites by helping them turn back to God? Yes. But, did God reward them for their “help”, or did He judge them for their vengeance? He judged. Harshly. Every. Single. Time.

So, I’ve decided (through the power of the Holy Spirit) to stop trying to be the “know-it-all” in the room. If God wants to run someone through the sifter, I will not be cranking the handle. If God needs to draw someone to repentance, I will trust Him to do it in the way He deems necessary (and I won’t be campaigning for my way of doing it). If I see a deception, I will pray and ask God to remind me that He’s got this handled and not manipulate things behind the scenes. After all, I do not want God to turn toward me after I have “helped” Him meet out the punishment and decide that it’s time for me to learn a lesson as well. I want to be on the sidelines. Every. Single. Time.

Romans 12:19 says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the LORD.”

Even though I am not necessarily talking about an enemy, I think the same truth applies to my “know-it-all” status. I must leave any judgment, any punishment, any control of a situation to God and through the power of God’s Spirit in me, that’s just what I’m going to do. No more Ms. Smarty Pants; just a humble believer focused on her God and allowing her trust in Him to shine forth in any way He deems appropriate. A girl who realizes that she is never the smartest person in the room, that’s God job and I’m good with that. I’ve decided to stop travelling this road of life on my “high horse” and travel this road in the arms of my Savior instead.

Seeking Hearts Ministries