Gospel Reflections #607: Life in the Spirit

Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a branch will bear fruit"

The nation of Judah has been subjected to more and more nations, from Babylon, to Persia, to Greece, and then to Rome.

Even when they try to exalt themselves, even when they try to be strong, they are quickly cut down.

God thoroughly teaches us in various ways to depend on His power, not human power.

But the rootstock remains.

God's people will never be uprooted.

This is the strength of God's promise.

Even when forces seem to be at work that prevent the fulfillment of God's promises, the Lord's truth continues unchanged.

And where it is cut down, new shoots grow.

This is not because of our deeds, our conversion, our efforts, or our achievements, but because of God's gift to us, His unconditional love.

And the shoot was Jesus Christ.

Christ appeared as a humble man.

When He appeared there was life.

Where there is humility, there is life.

Even when our lives are crushed, it is in that place that Christ appears.

It is in that humility that we have the life of the Spirit.

As long as we do not throw away the seed of faith that God has given us, He will make it grow.

All we have to do is receive God's love, grace, and nourishment and wait for God's timing.

If we are connected to God, we will surely bear fruit in abundance!

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.