Spurgeon: September AM
* 09/08/AM
"From Me is thy fruit found."
--Hosea 14:8
Our fruit is found from our God as to union . The fruit of
the branch is directly traceable to the root. Sever the
connection, the branch dies, and no fruit is produced. By virtue
of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit. Every bunch of
grapes have been first in the root, it has passed through the
stem, and flowed through the sap vessels, and fashioned itself
externally into fruit, but it was first in the stem; 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 it
must be the source of all the fruitfulness which thou canst hope
to know. If thou wert not joined to Jesus Christ, thou wouldst
be a barren bough indeed.
Our fruit comes from God as to spiritual providence . When
the dew-drops fall from heaven, when the cloud looks down from
on high, and is about to distil its liquid treasure, when the
bright sun swells the berries of the cluster, each heavenly boon
may whisper to the tree and say, "From me is thy fruit found."
The fruit owes much to the root--that is essential to
fruitfulness--but it owes very much also to external influences.
How much we owe to God's grace-providence! in which He provides
us constantly with quickening, teaching, consolation, strength,
or whatever else we want. To this we owe our all of usefulness
or virtue.
Our fruit comes from God as to wise husbandry . The
gardener's sharp-edged knife promotes the fruitfulness of
the tree, by thinning the clusters, and by cutting off
superfluous shoots. So is it, Christian, with that pruning which
the Lord gives to thee. "My Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away;
and every branch that beareth fruit He purgeth it, that it
may bring forth more fruit." Since our God is the author
of our spiritual graces, let us give to Him all the glory of
our salvation.