Withering Fruit

Jesus spent the night away from the city, away from the stirred up crowd.  But, he didn’t stay away for ever.  The next day, “early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry,” (Matthew 21:18).  Before I go on, what a wonderfully subtle reminder that God was in Jesus fully God and yet fully human. 

“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!’” (Matthew 21:19).  Now, knowing a little of the characteristics of Jesus, I doubt very much that this was some morning randomn sleepiness which promotes bad moods.  Instead, I think this was a fig that was not fulfilling it’s purpose, it was not bearing fruit. 

What was the result?  Jesus “said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered,” (Matthew 21:19). A fig tree has a purpose to bear fruit.  But, by just speaking Jesus caused the fig to wither.  It sounds like something from a movie.  The disciples were “amazed, ‘How did the fig tree wither so quickly?’” (Matthew 21:20). Wow!  How did that happen? 

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer,” (Matthew 21:21-22). 

That is a pretty bold statement.  Mountains into the sea and receiving whatever is asked for in prayer?  Yet, lets dig just a little deeper with this.  Mountains seem to be things that are pretty sturdy, how in the world can faith make them move into the sea?  I guess I think of a couple different kind of mountains.  One is a real mountain, and for that my faith would need to be considerably stronger.  There are other mountains though, when the task or hurdle in front of me is looming larger and larger on the horizon.  I can’t climb it, can’t go around, can’t go under.  It either has to move or I’m not going to be able to move forward.  Prayer can help move that mountain. 

You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer… Oh my human mind, the created creature who thinks well, let’s see… I’m going to pray for this and that and the other.  It makes it sound like a Christmas wish list.  But, do you remember that fruit the fig tree didn’t have? No fruit, no faith.  But, with the fruit, with the faith, the nature of the prayers will be changed as well.  Instead of that wish list, it becomes something focusing on what God’s will is.