Suddenly … Juicy Fruit

Ten years ago when my family moved into our current home, my husband, the avid gardener couldn’t wait to plant trees and shrubs in the back yard. He planted a dwarf grapefruit tree in a back corner of the property and waited patiently, praying for his tree to start producing juicy fruit.

It can take three to five years for a fruit tree to bear fruit. Our tree was a bit of an under-achiever – producing nothing over the last decade. In order to develop fruit, a tree must first have blossoms. Our little tree sprouted many blossoms year after year but due to the fact that our yard was constantly filled with children and volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls and golf balls, the blossoms simply couldn’t compete. If the blossoms did hang on through ball season, the weather would throw us an unexpected curve ball and cold temperatures and frost would kill whatever the balls didn’t.

My husband stopped wishing for a grapefruit miracle and resigned himself to the fact that the little tree that could simply never would. His green thumb, however, wouldn’t let him dig up the tree or abandon it. He simply hoped on in faith and did his part and continued to water, fertilize and nurture his tree along and let God take care of it.

Last week my son and grandson were playing ball one afternoon and as expected – one of them kicked a soccer ball into the grapefruit tree. When my son retrieved the ball that had lodged against the trunk he noticed a branch hanging low at an odd angle. Worried their rambunctious play had injured the tree, he inspected the branch and discovered of all things … a grapefruit. And not just any grapefruit, mind you, but one that he described as “a grapefruit as big as my head!”

Mere words can’t describe my husband’s utter delight when he was summoned to view the discovery later that evening after work. Because it was dark, he wanted to wait until daylight to pick the grapefruit – after of course; he’d captured the image for that perfect Kodak moment. His excitement was second only to his anxiety as he yelled, “Don’t touch it!” at anyone daring to approach the tree. Heaven forbid anyone but he should have the honor of plucking the fruit from its leafy haven.

The grapefruit was more than we’d hoped for over the last 10 years. It was juicy, sweet and indescribably delicious.

The miracle fruit as it’s come to be known in our home reminds me of the grace of our Lord. When we least expect it – God moves in answer to our repeated prayers. Once we can completely turn something over to Him and stop trying to answer our own prayers — God can move and bring about a harvest. Those repetitious prayers that we think are bouncing off the ceiling – like prayers for the salvation of a loved one or healing from a debilitating illness or the deliverance of our child from an addiction, etc. — we have to give them to God and we have to trust Him for answers.

Only God can bring about an unexpected harvest; one that will yield a fruitful blessing and one that can be sweeter and more delicious than we could ever dare to hope or imagine. Suddenly … He is Lord, we just have to be willing to let Him be God.

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26 (NLT)

Blessings in Christ,
Kathy K.