Be fruitful and multiple

Gen 1:22 So God blessed them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas and let the birds multiply on the earth.”

In the delivery room, the hustle in the background celebrating her arrival faded to white noise leaving the space feeling like it was just me and her.  Holding her in my arms, I studied her unblemished soft skin following it up to her full cheeks until her eyes met mine.  Her eyes, white as snow, untainted by the unfiltered exposure to the world highlighted through their purity that she was mine to impress upon.  I recognized in that moment, my actions in raising her would rightly or wrongly steer her to either walk out or against God’s unique design for her life.  As I grappled with the gravity of this responsibility, I wondered, am I living the full life God had planned for me?  The answer hung in the balance as I considered the possibilities.  If I was not, then how can I lead her to do what I am not?  With time I realized, as a child of God made in His image, the potential exists in us all to live the full, fruitful life He desires.  We just have to learn how to release it.  Let’s explore the source of the fruitful life He designs for each of us.

Blessed to be fruitful

God blessed them with saying “be fruitful and multiply”.  When God spoke in the creation story to His creations including man to be fruitful.  Two things were occurring.  The first is the call to be fruitful and the second is the blessing to be fruitful.  We may tell our children to go clean their room.  Inherent, in our statement we are saying go to do it because I said so but we are saying to them you are blessed with the ability to perform this task.  You have a room to clean, things in it that require a cleaning to be done and you possess the capabilities to accomplish the task. Likewise, God says to us you have the resources and the ability to be fruitful.  Let’s consider this further here.

He calls us to be fruitful

Fruit is defined as the edible portion of a plant that also contains its reproductive capabilities meaning the fruit has within its own possession the means to reproduce.  Whenever God gives us a directive, He provides what we need to accomplish it with Him (Heb 13:20-21).  Several years ago, a friend sent me an email with a statement as part of her signature.  “God will never lead you, where the grace of God cannot keep you”.  Through His grace we are covered to walk out the leading He provides.  He will stand in the gap in the supernatural to magnify and optimize our actions in the natural for His plan to come to pass.  When He knitted each of us together, He planted seeds within us for a fruitful life (Eph 2:10).  Before the beginning of time, He chose us (Jer 1:5, John 15:16) and in so doing He equipped us for the calling He placed on us. 

It is not just about you

Looking back at the definition, we see fruit is the edible portion of the plant.  Fruit is meant to consumed for the enjoyment of others.  Fruit are not for show to be worn as a badge or to be kept under cover for personal security.  Fruit, when consumed, refreshes and regenerates.  God calls us to use our fruit for the benefit of others.  As their souls are blessed by it and they consume its goodness planting seeds that will grow more fruit.  This might mean we plant seeds of encouragement in a single mom who as a desire to pursue a new profession but faces doubt.  Your words may be the fruit she needs to step out and begin her journey that will lead her to grow her fruit of faith and encourage another.  Maybe your joy will lead someone to ask why you are so joyful and cause them to come to know Christ.  Either of these cases, can have ripple effects in the kingdom and result in more seeds being planted and more fruit to grow.  For a more tangible example, consider that one watermelon may contain anywhere from 200-800 seeds.  That’s one fruit with the potential to at minimum make 200 more of itself we each of those containing anywhere from 200-800 seeds!  Likewise, in our own home, the fruit we possess will impact the very nature of our homes and our children’s lives.  If we do not use them or share them then we are withholding the best of who God created us to be from them.  We are also keeping the best of who God is from them. 

Your fruit, His glory

Matt 7:16a, “You will recognize them by their fruits”.  An apple tree, a pear tree or fig tree are recognizable by the fruit that arises from its branches.  A fig tree will never grow apples or an apple tree pears because the evidence of what it is comes from its source.  Likewise, the fruits we display speaks to the world about the nature of who we are before we say a word.  John 15:2 ”I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing”.  The same is true of our spiritual fruit.  As we stay connected to the true vine, we will produce that which is in His nature.  As a result, we serve as evidence to the world of the unseen God brining Him glory.  When God calls us to be fruitful, it is so the world will see Him and the true nature of who He is.  This fruit draws people to Him.  As they consume the nature of it, seeds are sown, and more fruit arises. 

The call for a fruitful life comes with the blessing and the resources to do so along with the responsibility.  The great thing is it is not only up to us to be fruitful so this will be covered in fruitful part 2.  Until next time, happy sowing!

Sow the seed:  God will never ask you to do anything He has not equipped you to do.

Nurture the seed: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing In His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.  Heb 13:20-21 ESV

John 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the father in my name, He may give it to you.