Early in the morning, as Jesus was on His way back to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. Matthew 21:18-19
“Christian, rely upon thy God, and make thy daily applications to the throne of grace for continual supplies of strength; you little think how kindly He takes it, that you will make use of Him, the oftener the better, and the more you come for, the more welcome. Else why would Christ have told His disciples, ‘Hitherto you have asked nothing,’ but to express His large heart in giving? …
Such a bountiful heart thy God hath, while thou art asking a little peace and joy, He bids thee open thy mouth wide and He will fill it. Go and ransack thy heart, Christian, from one end to the other, find out thy wants, acquaint thyself with all thy weaknesses, and set them before the Almighty, as the widow her empty vessels before the prophet; hadst thou more than thou canst bring, thou mayest have them all filled.”
William Gurnall (1617-1679) famous Puritan clergyman known for the classic work, “The Christian in Complete Armour” (page 22) which is his treatise on the saints’ war against the devil (Ephesians 6:10-20).
As I watch Jesus during Holy Week, I see Him wanting us to bear fruit, to ask for what we need, to be the fruitful followers He wants us to be, and to rely upon Him to make it so.
Gurnall would say we need to make “daily applications” to the throne of grace for whatever we need. Notice that He describes our Lord Jesus Christ as having a “large heart in giving.”
Even as He takes the life of the fig tree on this day many, He can give life as well. He can fill us with whatever we need like Elisha filled the empty vessels with the oil that the widow needed.
What do you need to be fruitful for God? Ask Him for it. Make daily applications during Holy Weeks and every week of the year. Do this because we serve a Lord who has a large heart in giving!