While There Is Still Time
“Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
Dear Friends and Members of IBC,
In this week’s Word for the Week, we reflect on Jesus’ parable of the barren fig tree and what it teaches us about the precious amount of time God gives us on this earth.
As we read Luke 13:6-9, we get an immediate sense of urgency. Jesus has just been speaking about the need for repentance (“repent or perish!”) – people can die unexpectedly, we can’t presume upon tomorrow. Time matters.
Three years are mentioned in the parable, which possibly correspond to the three years of Jesus’ ministry and the fact that many in Israel still hadn’t turned to God.
And there is also something significant about a fig tree itself. It usually takes about three years to start producing fruit. Normally a fig tree would then expect to bear fruit twice a year, so there have been several seasons of no fruit. Yet the vinedresser says to give the tree one more year - more time.
God gives us time. He is a God of second chances, full of compassion, willing to give us more time. God has revealed himself to be merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. He shows favour, the fig tree is planted in a vineyard, a mark of his favour.
So, God is patient with us. But also, we have a limited amount of time. His patience isn’t limitless. And life is very fleeting, isn’t it? One minute you are having children, the next minute they are leaving the house. Psalm 90:12 points us to this shortness of life. And so, we must be wise with the time given to us, not living under the pretence that we have unlimited time to turn to God.
What are we doing with the time given to us? So often we live as if we were immortal. We don’t really feel, in our bones, the urgent plea to repent or perish. But when you have a terminal diagnosis, when it is clear that you have a certain amount of time left, we live differently.
After Tim Keller, the late American theologian and pastor, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, he spoke about how this diagnosis radically affected his already vibrant prayer life and his interactions with the world around him. He said:
“Everyone knows they’re going to die, and everyone in some way, represses that and lives as if they’re never going to die. When I had thyroid cancer, the first thing the doctor said was: “This is very treatable.” When I had pancreatic cancer, my doctor said: “You’re going to die of this, sooner or later, because we don’t have a cure for it.” I realised, at some deep level, I never really did believe I was going to die; I just didn’t. There is some kind of denial that just will not go away until you actually have a doctor saying you’re going to die within weeks. The way you look at God, the way you look at your spouse, the way you look at everything, changes when you realise time is limited and you are mortal.”
Friends, you and I are mortal. We are going to die; our time is limited. So, let’s not put off obeying what we know Jesus is pointing out in our lives. Let’s not be slow to love and serve one another. Let’s ask God to teach us to number our days so we may live wisely and fruitfully.
God bless you
James
