“They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green …” Psalm 92:14
There’s an old pear tree at the end of our road that is gnarled and twisted. The rough bark is peeling and the branches are fragile. The ground beneath is littered with twigs and leaves that have fallen from its ancient branches. We’ve had an odd winter: cold weather one day, hot the next. Last week we had sunshine, rain, hail and two inches of snow all in one day. They say if you don’t like the weather in South Carolina, just stick around five minutes and it will change.
The odd weather has been rough on many of the trees on our property. We’ve lost some little pines that were so full of ice, the tops bent over and snapped off. A few old oaks have toppled over, roots and all, because there wasn’t enough rainfall. But, in spite of all the destruction around it, that old pear tree is still standing. In fact, it is covered in buds. I can hardly wait until it’s covered in delicate pink-tinged blossoms. Then I’ll know that Spring is really here.
God created seasons so that life would continue on this ol’ planet. Plants need a certain amount of rain, sun and space in order to bud, flower and bear fruit. We have seasons in our life as well. But even when we think that we’ve reached the fall or winter of our life, God can still use us to bear fruit for him.
We just have to make sure that we’re available for him to work in our lives. If we’re too busy, when the ice and wind comes we’ll snap in two. If we don’t get enough spiritual nourishment, when we’ll topple over from the weight of our problems. But if we remain steady, lifting our branches to the one who made us, he’ll continue to care for us and allow us to bear fruit.
Have you ever reached a point where you felt old and withered like that pear tree? Did you know that God could still use you to bear fruit? There’s always someone who needs a cheery call, a sweet note, or a heart-felt prayer. All you have to do is stand there and wait for him.
Angie Arndt
http://www.angelaearndt.com
http://joyonthebackroads.blogspot.com
Twitter: @aearndt
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