Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.
The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”
Devotional
Holy… curses? Yes, and if taken out of context this could be disastrous. This was Jesus’ only ‘destructive’ miracle. Being cursed is a bad thing and we should never curse humans. If people curse us we are to bless them in return.
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Some scholars believe the fig tree was the unfortunate prop in one of Jesus’ more vivid illustrated sermons on the fate of His fruitless nation.
At that time of the year fig trees would be filled with green leaves and unripe, green, disagreeable fruit. However, this fig tree had no fruit whatsoever. While Jesus did not expect the fruit to be ripe, He did expect the fruit to exist and to be in the process of formation.
His judgment on the fig tree echoed His sobering words for those who refused to remain in Him.
Question to Consider
Read Luke 13:6-9 and then consider the parallels between this parable and Jesus’ judgment upon the fig tree.
Prayer
Today Jesus, help me to remain in you and you in me, that I may bear much fruit. Apart from you, I can’t do anything. I pray that others will see you in me and be drawn to you because of what they see.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
The 40 days of decrease blogs have been inspired by the book “40 Days of Decrease” by Alicia Britt Chole.
Expressions from Summerside Community Church 