As the snow came down in huge, wet, cold flakes I immediately started to pray for the Lord to save our fruit. Our spring started with beautiful blooms absolutely covering our trees. Every tree. It brought tears to my eyes to see the benefit of a year of jubilee. As I prayed the Lord reminded me that only by Him do we have fruit at all. Physically and spiritually this is true because every good and perfect gift is from the Lord right!? He reminds me that first in the natural, then in the spiritual. This concept of snow on our trees threatening our fruit is the same as trials in our life effecting our spiritual fruit.

The rules of this world are subject to it’s maker. In the case of the trees, I have not lost hope for fruit, do I more easily lose hope for fruit in my life? 1 Peter 4:12-13 says “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy”. This is a promise I see playing out in our trees. How much more will I rejoice when fruit shows after this snow storm threat?

“Exceedingly”!

For those of us enduring fiery trials, be encouraged: when Jesus died on the cross it wasn’t the end, it was the beginning. When we die to ourselves it’s not the end, it’s the beginning. The beginning of exceeding joy that would have been lessened possibly… if learned without trial?