“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.”
~Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSV).
Some things are above standard requirements. When we choose that which is superior—angling for something interminably better; the higher goal—we select a nobler benchmark that supersedes what people expect.
We rise higher. But not under our own steam; it’s the Spirit’s power that makes fruitfulness possible. To attain such a lofty height of spoil there is known an abundance for which all of life can depend.
Not Simply Heights of Love – Continued Growth Also
Thriving and swelling, growth indwells that which can’t be held back.
The mind’s picture of fruit trees produces a myriad of meaning, not least of which the indelible path to maturity; the ripening of fruit for the day of its actual use.
The Spirit’s journey in and through us is like this, only reliance on the Spirit ensures we continue to ripen.
An outward spiral—a beautiful double helix—each day builds upon the last, and the next is even better, give or take the odd barrier and roadblock.
Confidence is added to the journey, for we know none of this is our doing, unless it’s to obey. Trusting the ebbing whisper of the Spirit—that’s what we’ve learned to do.
The Fruit of Blessing – The Blessing of Fruit
Suddenly what makes most sense in all this ever-burgeoning growth is it feels like life should’ve always been like this. What is deeply spiritual feels so natural—so ironically normal.
For this we were born!
Blessing has become us and thankfulness and praise become our demeanour, and by these more of the Spirit’s Presence is known. More and more good builds to better and upward the track winds at bliss, bringing us to levels of fruition untenable by the standards of our recent goal-oriented minds. Surpassed are these as we laugh—though never derisively so—at how relatively innocent and immature we were, and not long ago either.
The fruit of the Spirit is blessing and vice versa.
No Limits to Fruitfulness
We can grow to an understanding of grace whereby we fully realise there are no limits to it. Its heights cannot be ascended. The more we sink into the belly of such love, swimming dreamily within the soothing current, the more we understand that God’s totally sown into Creation.
Likewise, there are no limits to the growth in fruitfulness we can experience. The flesh is the only limiter.
The idea of salvation is an alluring one; not so much an event, but a journey without end... and along the way, many surprises for just what we’ll encounter and how well we can not only survive such challenges, but thrive also.
© 2011 S. J. Wickham.
Graphic Credit: Harvest Christian Center.
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