Good Gifts - Freddy Fruit Tree

Revelation 22:1-7 (New Revised Standard)
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. 6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." 7 "See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Reflection
You know, I have a lot of relatives, some good, some bad and a bunch with a variety of gifts to give. Through the years there have been some songs written about us too. How about "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" for one. My favorite hymn about my greatest relatives is, "There in God's Garden." Now that tree was a good one. There is this river with trees growing strong on either side of it, trees giving different fruit for each month, and the leaves of these trees bring healing. Then that Tree of Wisdom, wow! What a tree! Anyway, sometimes I get so excited about all of this I get off track.

You guys are involved in the fruit tree. For me to be healthy, you need to come along and prune me. I know, it hurts! Believe me it hurts. But what it does is allow sunlight to get into my branches deep within. And that sunlight brings growth and more fruit. I want to produce fruit as much as you want to eat my fruit. You guys have always found joy in eating me!

But, I'm not so sure I'm the only one who needs a little pruning now and then. I pretty much stay here in one place and blow around some and get all wet and cold and hot, but I have a lot of time to think. I see you guys running around back and forth and sometimes I notice how you need a little pruning of your own. You get so busy that the sonlight doesn't get in. And that brings me back to my favorite hymn, your selfishness, greed and suffering need fed with a different kind of Light. Notice that capital L? Yea, you guys need the light of Jesus to shine into your deepest spaces. A Light that will bring great change and growth. A Light that will line you up beside that awesome river so you can feed from some wonderful water with the best of my relatives.

You will produce great fruit. All because of what God has done for you. God loves to see your fruit. You know, come to think of it, we can get together on this too. With "Good Gifts" you can give a fruit tree to people that need not only the tree but the work that's involved with keeping fruit trees. Who know's, maybe they too will discover Jesus light and be led to that great stream of water.

Fruitfully Yours,
Freddy Fruit Tree

Prayer
Jesus, may your light shine deep within me that I may bring fruit to all the nations... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen