Fruitfulness Abounds With Every Step
As I walk out my door in Zichron Ya’acov I am surrounded by abounding beauty. These photos below were taken during my short walk to the neighborhood mailbox this morning. Each step is a photo opportunity as flowers and fruit flourishes everywhere. One only has to take a moment to stop and reflect on the fruitfulness of this land. Yes, people took time to plant, water, and nourish these trees.
Song of Songs 2:12 declares, “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”
As I walked taking these photos, I stopped as I heard the doves actually cooing. I wondered at the goodness of God.
This land is flourishing and even with the problems of political unrest there is still a peace in the air and a beauty in His creation.
Jesus said in John 16: 33 “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
We can have peace with God in tumultuous times as Christ lives in us and He is the prince of peace (Eph. 2: 13).
Just as these trees take water and nourishment to bloom, we too need to spend time with the Lord in the Word of God to flourish. God’s Word and presence brings refreshing to our soul. We can concentrate on the good around us, and the truth of His Word or we can spend our time frustrated because of news reports. Our job is to pray for a better outcome: Trusting God, and His faithfulness - in all things.
Strong’s says the word "fruitful" in Hebrew is the verb פָּרָה Parah it means to bear fruit, to be fruitful, to make fruitful, or the show fruitfulness.
Israel has used wisdom in developing desalination programs provided roughly 40 percent of Israel's drinking water and it is expected to be 70 percent by 2050. This country is also considered a global leader in the treatment of waste or reclaimed water.
Israeli scientists are on the brink of discovering a cure for cancer as they already have a pill to stop it. Yes, one pill, yet it is still in the testing mode. It seems to me that God is smiling on Israel. Also, there is cutting edge research in using pomegranate oil to assist people who struggle with dementia and Alzheimer’s. This is a sure sign of פָּרָה Parah (fruitfulness).
Let’s learn and celebrate from their discoveries. And, let’s to do our part: Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Finally, ask the Lord what your fruit looks like:
Luke 4:43-45 -"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree - is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."