A Fruitful BoughSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: Do not bewail and say that I am a dry tree and have no hope. Put your hope and trust in Jesus and say "I am a fruitful bough". The Lord will make you a fruitful bough. The Lord desires that you should be a fruitful bough and increase in all respects. To bless you wholeheartedly is His divine will and pleasure. Let not your heart be troubled.
"Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall." (Joseph Genesis 49:22)
Perhaps, you may hesitate and say, "That blessing was meant only for Joseph. Will I be able to receive a great blessing like Joseph?" Read what the Scripture says, "Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Romans 8:29,30).
According to the Bible, whoever has given their heart to Christ has been called by our Almighty Father. Jesus Himself says, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you" (John 15:16).
Jacob gave this blessing only to Joseph. But Jesus, our gracious Lord has given this blessing to everyone whom He has called. Why is this? It is because Jesus Christ, the Son of God gave His life to redeem everyone of us (1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 2:9; Matthew 20:28).
Many years ago, in a certain city in France, there lived a very wealthy man. He neither had wife nor children. He will not eat very well. He would go to some cheap resturant and eat simple food. He was very old and hunchbacked. One day He expired leaving all his wealth. With no relative left to bury him, officers of the Governement came forward to arrange his funeral. When they took out the will that he left behind, everyone was stunned. He had written, "I have so much property and a hefty sum of bank balance. In the slum close to my house, there live many poor people. They have no facilities to get drinking water. They drink muddy water and suffer from all water-borne diseases. Spend all my wealth to provide them clean water to drink." Out of his love for the poor, he had saved all the wealth not spending lavishly even on his own food.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)
My dear friend, do not bewail and say, "I am a dry tree. I have no hope." Our gracious Lord tells you, "My dear child, I am very rich. To make you rich, I became poor, for your sake." So, dear friend, never say, "I am a dry tree or I am fruitless." By trusting Him and His love, pray to Him and say, "I am a fruitful bough. Come and reside with me. The Lord will surely come and make you a fruitful bough.
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
You blessed Your servant Joseph and made Him to be a fruitful bough. In the same way bless me also. Make me also a fruitful bough. Lord, come and dwell with me and in me. I put all my trust and belief in You. In Jesus' mighty name, I pray.
Amen. |