shine like stars

And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.
- Isaiah 37:31

A week or so ago our new college pastor Charlie was preaching. He talked on Isaiah 36-37 and his focus was on this verse in chapter 37.

And he said this thing that spoke to me so much. “Sometimes we get so fruit focused that we forget that we have to have deep roots. Deep roots will produce much fruit.”

I have been getting a lot of verses on waiting patiently for God to fulfill the passions and desires in your heart. And I’ve been trying to be patient and wait for it to happen… But I didn’t quite get it. I feel like I have been patient and have been waiting on God but I also feel like my heart is going to burst with how much I want to see these people saved and see people fall head over heels in love with Jesus. And I’m praying and trying and trying to do everything I can to get them to understand. Trying to spend time with them, trying to prepare for whatever it is God would have me do in ministry in the future. And it seems like I’m not seeing any results. And it’s frustrating.

But when Charlie said that, I felt God speak in my spirit as I prayed, that I was so focused on fruit that I forgot about growing deep roots. That I was spending all my time trying to invest in others and spend time with them that I had been neglecting to spend the better part of my day talking to Him. I’ve been thinking I’m waiting by staying where I’m at for this season but it wasn’t just about that.

There definitely is a place for intentionally investing in others and spending massive amounts of time with them. But the fruit is not the focus. God is. Knowing Him. Loving Him. Being with Him. Delighting in Him. Making our roots grow deeper and deeper. As deep as His love for us.

If I want to see much fruit, I need to stop being so fruit focused and focus on God and leave the outcome to Him. I need to abide in Him and my roots will grow deep. Remain in His Presence and much fruit will come because a tree can’t help but grow in the presence of such a mighty river. And in season I will see much fruit.

Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
- Psalm 1:1-3