Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

September 8– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“[Lord], your fruit is found in me.” 

—Hosea 14:8

Our fruit in the Christian life stems from our union with God in Christ. The fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the root. If you sever the connection, the branch dies and no fruit is produced. Every bunch of grapes has been first in the root, passed through the stem, and was poured into the developing fruit. So also every good work was first in Christ and then is brought forth in us.

O Christian, prize this precious union to Christ; for he must be the source of all the fruitfulness you can ever hope to know. If you were not joined to Christ, you would be barren and withered.

Our fruit comes from God in terms of his careful provision. When the dew drops appear on the ground, when the cloud looks down from on high to drop its liquid treasure, when the bright sun swells the berries of the cluster, each heavenly benefit whispers to the tree and says, “Your fruit comes from me.” How much we owe to God’s gracious providence in which he provides us constantly with life, teaching, consolation, strength, or whatever else we need to grow.

Our fruit also comes from God because of his wise pruning. The gardener’s sharp-edged knife promotes the fruitfulness of the tree by thinning the clusters and by cutting off unnecessary shoots. So is it, Christian, with the Lord’s pruning of you. Our heavenly Father takes away every branch that bears no fruit. And every one that does, he carefully prunes to increase its production.

Since our God is the author of our spiritual graces, let us give to him the glory for our salvation and for every good work we do. [M&E]