The Fruit of the Spirit: Day 1: Fruit

Day 1  Ascension Day

The Fruit…

Fruit was associated with the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover Feast, because it was a the first day of the feast of the first fruits, “Shavuot” or “Weeks” and was celebrated by bringing the first of the crops that were ripe at this time of year. (Deuteronomy 26.1-11 and 8.8) So perhaps it is no surprise that the early Christians associated the Holy Spirit, which had first been felt in power on the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2).

Fruitfulness was seen as a sign of God’s blessing in the Bible. Adam and Eve had been told to “be fruitful” and placed in a garden full of fruiting trees. The tragedy of the story is that they lusted after the one fruit they have been forbidden, and were exiled from the garden as a result. Maybe we can take this as a picture of ourselves, failing to see the richness we have in our pursuit of the things we don’t have. The message of the Bible is that God is a God of fruitfulness, though, who wants our lives to produce good fruit, whatever form that takes.

·         Look at your life. What fruits have you produced – things that have delighted and nourished you or those around you?

·        Are there areas of your life which feel unfruitful, where you feel you haven’t achieved much? Why is this and how do you feel about it?

·        Pray: Ask God to show you the fruits of your life, and give thanks for all he has grown in you already.