The fruitful word

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. - Colossians 1:3-8

Paul rejoiced that the word of God had not only come to the Colossians, but that it was doing far more in their lives. The word of God was bearing fruit through them to the people around them

It is great when we know and study God’s word and apply it to our lives. Without that we could not do anything else with His word. It can’t stop there though because God’s desire is that His word bear fruit in the world around us.

How does God’s word bear fruit. I think it is simple enough – it bears fruit as it is seen in the lives and those who live by it. The kind of fruit that the word of God bears is obvious – love and peace and goodness and gentleness and meekness and the like.

People are looking for something different in times of trouble. In a world full of anxiety and despair and uncertainty we have something more to offer. It is the fruit of God’s word working in our lives. We can offer faith and hope and love to a whole world of people anxious about what is coming next.

The ‘problem’ is that we need to be in the word to pick the fruit of His word. If we are not there how can we bear the fruit. If you want to give out apples you need to go to an apple orchard or to a shop that sells apples. If you want to give out faith and love and hope you have to go to the place that offers true faith and true hope and true love.

The only place to find that is in the Word.

How fruitful is God’s word in your and in my lives?