because he wants our first fruits

The Christian walk is a various path of loops, dead ends, walls to climb over, pits to fall in, huge hills to traverse, and yes the occasional straightaway where things seem to be going ok.  Once a lesson is learned, it's not always learned for good.  It might seem familiar the next time it comes around, but we are hard-headed at times and forgetful at others which means inevitably we must learn things a thousand times over.

However, the most wonderful part of this scenario is that we have a Father who teaches us a thousand times over with patience in His heart, a Savior who reminds us a thousand times over that His sacrifice for us was a one time act for Him so that we can count on it for eternity, and a Spirit who will guide us a thousand times over to the spot we need to be in.

Today, this sharing is old in the sense that it was written years ago, but very new in the sense that it is time to learn this lesson again and because of that I am thankful.  I am thankful for a Father who still desires my First Fruits even though I have denied Him of them.  And for a Savior and Spirit who also never tire in their pursuit of me however tired I get in my pursuing.

Alongside of our circle drive, in the perfect location for me to accidentally back into them on those early morning school runs when the sun has not quite yet sent it’s rays down upon us, sits a large patch of blueberry bushes. While their age, to us anyway, is unknown, they have been planted long enough to tower over seven feet and build the strength for their blossoms to withstand this year's early Spring freeze that took down every Azalea in the county.

Going on three summers now, we have watched and waited as the little round green nubs grew and changed colors until the bushes are full of dark bluish purple berries ready to be picked and either popped directly into your mouth if you are my children or turned into delicious muffins, cakes, and cobblers if you follow my line of thinking.

Those first fruits that come off the tree never cease to bring a feeling of awe to my heart. They are a testament to the process started by a seed that continues to cycle around for almost no other reason than God created it to happen in that way, at that time. A physical, tangible reminder of how He sets things into motion and cares for them until the fruit is borne. Whether through frost and drought, or the perfect growing season, we, and the occasional bird and deer, are blessed to take from the branches.

There was a time when the giving of the first fruits of your harvest was required by law, with reverence and a holy fear, these items were offered up and only after were the rest able to be taken and used either personally or for profit. Later, as the New Covenant was made, this first fruits offering found its fulfillment in Jesus, as “He is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20) Because of Christ, we do not have to earn favor from God. We are each His favorite if we are hidden in Christ, but the Spirit inside still calls us and guides us to desire to give our own first fruits to Him. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less, and likewise, there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, but, to both glorify His name and as an outlet for the overwhelming thankfulness that builds up when you seek to learn and understand how much He has, is, and will do, our Spirit longs to offer our own personal first fruits to Him.

In considering this, minds may jump first to money, giving back some of that which the world counts as most valuable in our society. Some may think of giving their time and service, helping their brother in need, coming alongside their neighbor, sacrificing to walk with another and bear another’s burden. Each of these have their place of importance in the Kingdom we are called to live in, however, it is the first fruits of our hearts that He desires the most. If the first fruits of your heart are not set aside and offered up, then any act done comes before Christ and not with Him. He WANTS us first, and we NEED Him first.

While reading through Life Together, some wonderful ladies and I struggled through Bonhoeffer’s suggestions of how a day for a believer should look. When you get a group of moms together there will inevitably be talk of how there is not enough time in any day to feel as if you are caught up on anything. And while Dr. John Trainer–though it’s often credited to C.S. Lewis–does say “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work,” there is still a great desire to feel accomplished and productive outside of that realm. When your list of what you consider are needs and desires is constantly growing, it is most difficult to be told that your day needs to include even more.

Excuses were made that this book was written so long ago that obviously we can not assume that it is applicable to our day and age, but we each knew there were Truths set forward that were more than just good advice, but items necessary for our hearts to be set in order. Just as God does not often work on all parts of our hearts at the same time, neither do we need to try to overwhelm ourselves with attempting to simultaneously incorporate all the things we see needing to be changed or done either. This was where the thought of first fruits began to grow.

Taken from Psalm 57:7-8, Bonhoeffer says, “For Christians the beginning of the day should NOT [emphasis mine] be burdened and oppressed with besetting concerns for the day’s work…let the first thought and the first word of the day belong to him to whom our whole life belongs.” What a simple and yet profound act of obedience.

Our thoughts and words, the first fruits of our day, given to Him. An act of praise and thankfulness with the first conscious moments of a new day full of new mercies so graciously given to us again and again.

In the last few months there has been special attention placed upon those first thoughts and first words of mine after turning off the alarm but before my feet touch the floor. There have also been wondrous closeness felt with my creator and savior because of it. He is faithful when we are faithful. But praise Him even more, He is faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:13)Lest you think I now am living the utmost holiest of lives uttering nothing but praises as soon as the sunrises, think again. Just as you encounter in your life, I know all to well the constant pull of countless items that fight for your attention. Some, such as the care taking of your children, home, profession, friendships, family, church community, living community and the like are noble and necessary. Others, like the temptation to peruse various social media venues, desires to fulfill dream-like scenarios, and the occasional or not so occasional desire to hide and distract from real life through a countless list of activities can be given no noble title, and yet are succumbed to much more than any other thing.

When there are so many things clawing at you, demanding that you look at them first, it can be difficult to distinguish in that moment which direction to give your focus. When those things are other people dependent upon you to hold up your end of whatever bargain that materializes from living and working in a world full of others it can cause even more worry, stress, or overwhelming feelings of responsibility as you try to make every one happy.

When in high school, if I was confronted with a difficult or dangerous situation that needed to be avoided but could cause embarrassment or judgement from my peers if opted out of, my parents would tell me to just blame them. Let them be the reason. God has given us the answer of where our focus goes first. He has given our need to make everyone happy, an ‘out’ so to speak. He, and He alone, gets our First Fruits. Period.

And then, when we are able to give those first fruits in our first moments to their rightful owner, our hearts will inevitably begin to give Him our first fruits in every moment. Repetition begats habit, and a habit formed from the desire to glorify God are ones worthy of the extra efforts.

Three things will aid you in this process of turning your mind and hearts first fruits over to Him. And the first is the most important, because none of this can be done alone...

1. Abide in Christ. Abide simply means to stay with, to sit with, to rest in. When you are seeking Him, hiding in His word and being, your inner dispositions change. It is an involuntary action. As your inner dispositions change, you begin to see how your Spirit longs for more of Him, more of Him in those first moments and in every moment after. Let Him fill you up and from that the overflow begins.

2. Practice. Wake up tomorrow morning and thank Him for the new day. Ask Him to help you be a blessing to someone. Ask Him to help you see His hand throughout the days events. Ask Him to help you wake up the next morning and thank Him again. The words do not matter as much as the heart behind them. Put a note by your bed if you have to. Cover your phone screen with a post-it so that the device you usually reach for will be a reminder instead of a distraction. Begin because as Mary Poppins says, "Once begun is half done!"

3. Give yourself grace when you fail, I promise He will when you do. No matter what movies you've seen that quote to the contrary, failure is always an option. One day you will wake up and check Facebook instead. One day you will get to lunch or to your afternoon session of desperate caffeine consumption and suddenly remember you have been anything but thankful. Yes, ask for forgiveness, yes take that moment to be thankful, but yes, also remember that you are already forgiven and you will be loved anyway. You fail daily in some way or another, we are all far from perfect, but God has promised to love you for eternity. He will never break that promise. This is an ongoing challenge for myself that I am now extending to you dear friend. Give Him your first thoughts, your first words, your first fruits of the day. It can take no more than a moment, but that moment can carry you, because it’s Him carrying you, for much longer than you can imagine. I’m praying for your first fruits to be for Him, pray for me.