Morning Prayer Friday June 2nd

– with Alexa in London

Dear friends, we invite you to join Alexa Davies in London for morning prayer.

According to scholars, in Palestine the fruit appears before the leaves. When they saw the tree from a distance the natural assumption would be that since it had leaves it also had fruit. This would not be surprising even if it was not the key season for figs because there was often more than one crop per year and sometimes a fig tree could have fruit for as much as ten months per year. By a show of leaves, it was like many people, pretending to have fruit which was not there. It was like the Pharisees who professed to be very religious, but whose lives were fruitless. “Bearing fruit” is a phrase used to describe the outward actions that result from the inward condition of a person’s heart. Galatians 5:16–24 contrasts the works, or fruit, of the flesh with those of the Holy Spirit. In our sinful nature, we bear things such as idolatry, jealousy, dissensions, and fits of anger. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” As Christians, we want to bear fruit in keeping with our relationship with God.

Thanks for joining us this morning.