“…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11
The above scripture was spoken by the Apostle Paul as a prayer for the Philippian believers. The word “fruit” used by Paul made me think of natural fruit, such as oranges, peaches, apples, etc. Although, not a farmer, I do know that fruit can only be produced from a healthy tree rooted and grounded in good soil, water from heaven, and adequate doses of God’s sunshine.
Just as fruit is sweet to the taste and the juice runs down one’s chin, so is a person who is filled with Jesus, who is our Righteousness. When we are “in Christ” and allowing His love to fill our hearts and minds, we don’t have to “try” to be like Jesus. We just are! A peach tree doesn’t have to “try” to produce peaches. So, just as a tree doesn’t have to work at producing that beautiful fruit - so is the process for you and me who have responded to the love of Christ that has been shed abroad in our hearts. It’s no longer I who liveth, but Christ who lives in me and out of me onto others (Galatians 2:20).
When I’m enjoying my relationship with Jesus - the evidence is the fruit of righteousness (integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting; the condition acceptable to God ). In other words.....having the character of Christ within me. Even without my help, God is producing His fruit in and through His people. Once we “…taste and see that the Lord is good”(Psalm 34:8), we will never long for anything else.
Yet, remember, all of that juicy fruit of righteousness being produced in us is for God’s glory, edifying or building up the body of Christ and also for future believers who need to see Christ in us. We don’t have to fear running out of this fruit as long as we continue to fill up our hearts and minds with that which is wholly delicious!
Without our union with Him, we will lack beauty, sweetness, tenderness and rotten to our core. For without Him, we are nothing and can do nothing.
Oh, may we be filled with the fruit of righteousness…..
Oh, taste and see! The LORD is good!
ReplyDeleteI so relate to this post. I have always loved to eat, and have always struggled with my weight. At the beginning of the year Holy Spirit prompted me to start eating healthier. I had to increase my food intake in order to start losing the pounds! This in itself was amazing to me. But more than that, I began to taste the incredible glory of God in the foods I was eating. Things like sweet peppers, chunks of fresh pineapple, bran flakes and blueberries, the seasoning on my shrimp, salmon; all these tastes (and colors) were overwhelming my taste buds. I felt like I was in heaven, and I couldn't thank God enough for giving us these wonderful foods to feed our bodies. And at the same time, He is saying, the physical is only a symbol for the spiritual. And the wonder and diversity found in food (or music, painting, nature, etc.) is always found in the spiritual, in Him. He is the author and creator of all things good!
On Sunday we were talking about the smell of bread, and how it should fill our temples just like it did in the tabernacle of old. Jesus, the bread of heaven, he is here, and I love him so! May His sweetness and fragrance continue to woo and overwhelm us! May we become like Him. Love and blessings!