How can we truly be changed?
And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. Matthew 21:18
Creator God,
We confess,
many of us are as confused
as the disciples about why you cursed the fig tree.
What we don’t understand
is that the fig tree represents Israel, your people,
who had been saved for a purpose:
to bear fruit (grow figs);
yet they repeatedly turned away from you,
the God who saved them:
“What I gave them has passed away from them” (Jeremiah 8:13).
Their leaves of life had withered
and their figs of fruit had passed away.
Lord, save us from our wayward hearts.
Help us to grasp
that Christ’s death and resurrection
alone will change us into fruit-bearing trees,
flourishing in your kingdom,
waving our bright green leaves
and offering others a taste
of the rich juicy fruit of your glory.
In Jesus’ fruit-bearing name. Amen.
Read Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14.
