Are Those Apple Trees?
One Winter day a friend was visiting my home and wanted to see the boundaries of my land. In order to do this we had to walk through my small 12 tree orchard. As we approached the orchard, he asked “Are those apple trees?”
Had my friend been visiting in mid Summer or early Fall he would have had no trouble identifying the trees he was seeing Now, however, it was Winter and my city born friend asked, “Are they all dead?” Indeed, they did appear dead.
Long cold winters are not uncommon in the Northern United States and before winter is over, orchards can appear to be completely dead.
Winter time often happens in the Christians life. Circumstances can cause our spiritual temperature to drop and leaves to fall. Serious illness, for example, can result in cold days and long dark nights.
God keeps our faith alive even when the days are cold and the nights are long. - A sudden unexpected death in the family can cause you to ask, “Will the sun ever shine again?”, but even in such times as these, God has promised to keep us: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
God Keeps Our Faith Alive Even When We Fail - Simon Peter is an example of a man who failed miserably. When Jesus was arrested Peter ran for cover and began denying that he had ever known Jesus. Read the whole story in this New Testament passage: Luke 22
When Christians fall into sin like Peter did, it brings us to ask the question, “Will my Christian faith still be alive this time tomorrow?” The answer is that God has promised to keep us through all the winter nights of this world.
That horrible night in Peter’s life was like the coldest winter night in the orchard. Peter looked like he had completely lost his faith, but it was not so. Jesus had seen that night coming and had promised Peter that God would keep his faith alive.
“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32
Christians still sing about going through such nights:
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come.
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And Grace will lead me home.
God Keeps Our Faith Alive Because He Loves Us and Has Paid a Tremendous Price For Us - This little paper began with a story about my apple orchard. It looked dead that cold winter day, but it was not. The reason why my orchard was not dead was because I loved my trees, had paid a good deal of money for them, and worked to keep them alive and well.
God The Father loves His children. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, went to The Cross to pay for them, and God The Holy Spirit labors among them to keep them alive and well.
Here is how much the Heavenly father loves us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Jesus called Christians His sheep. Here is what He said about how much He loves us and how He keeps us:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”
John 10:27-30
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