Morning, September 8
Go To Evening Reading
“From me is thy fruit found.”
Hosea 14:8
Our fruit is found from our God as to union . The fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the root. Sever
the connection, the branch dies, and no fruit is produced. By virtue
of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit. Every bunch of grapes
has been first in the root, it has passed through the stem, and flowed
through the sap vessels, and fashioned itself externally into fruit,
but it was first in the stem; so also every good work was first in
Christ, and then is brought forth in us. O Christian, prize this precious
union to Christ; for it must be the source of all the fruitfulness
which thou canst hope to know. If thou wert not joined to Jesus Christ,
thou wouldst be a barren bough indeed.
Our fruit comes from God as to spiritual providence . When the dew-drops fall from heaven, when the cloud looks down from
on high, and is about to distil its liquid treasure, when the bright
sun swells the berries of the cluster, each heavenly boon may whisper
to the tree and say, “From me is thy fruit found.” The fruit owes much to the root—that is essential to fruitfulness—but it owes very much also to external influences. How much we owe
to God’s grace-providence! in which he provides us constantly with quickening,
teaching, consolation, strength, or whatever else we want. To this
we owe our all of usefulness or virtue.
Our fruit comes from God as to wise husbandry . The gardener’s sharp-edged knife promotes the fruitfulness of the tree, by thinning
the clusters, and by cutting off superfluous shoots. So is it, Christian,
with that pruning which the Lord gives to thee. “My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit
he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it,
that it may bring forth more fruit.” Since our God is the author of our spiritual graces, let us give
to him all the glory of our salvation.