A growing apple tree is always green and produces its fruit. A brown apple tree becomes leafless and barren. I am reminded of an older couple who were members of a former car club.

In contrast, I witnessed a much older gentleman who had a walker next to his clubs on his golf cart. It amazed me to watch him exit his cart to retrieve his walker and club of choice, walk to his golf ball using the walker, place the walker behind him, and then he would grip the club and strike the ball. He even had a golf ball grabber on the end of his putter so he would not have to stoop when retrieving his ball from the cup. There was no “giving up” in his mindset and he was certainly practicing the “use it or loose it” principle.

Many years ago, a corporate speaker led a seminar with the phrase, “if you are not green and growing, you are brown and dying.” The speaker was stressing the importance of setting time aside in our schedule to broaden our knowledge. It’s easy for people to place all their time to work in their business while losing site of working on their business. By failing to take the time to work on their business by educating themselves, they would eventually fall behind their more prepared competition. In other words, they would experience the “law of diminishing returns” and their fruit bearing business would become like the brown apple tree becoming less and less fruitful as the years past by.

Frank’s spiritual journey

Frank was a very religious person who attended Sunday services regularly and sometimes when his life was going sideways, he would rise early on weekdays to attend 6am services before going to work. If there was an award for church attendance, Frank would have certainly earned one. It wasn’t until Frank’s spiritual awakening that he realized being a religious person is not the same as having a relationship with God. In the past, Frank offered up a lot of “rote” prayers and attended church services out of obligation because his religion taught him that’s how a Christian is to please God. Although Frank had become fairly successful by this physical world’s standards, he knew deep down in his heart there was something missing. Frank was experiencing the “law of diminishing returns” in his spiritual life. There was a void in his heart that could not be filled with his money, his material things or his religion. With all that he had accomplished in this physical world, Frank was feeling like that brown apple tree.

Don’t be hasty to speak and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words. – Ecclesiastes 5:2-3
< God is not looking for great orators or longwinded prayers >

Now, this would make for a spectacular movie if the heavens parted, the Holy Spirit descended, and Frank sprouted wings beneath a glowing halo. But God’s timing is not ours, and His work begins on the inside—with our hearts. Frank recalls that it was nearly four months to the day from his simple prayer until he first heard God’s voice. From that moment on, Frank bid farewell to his religious past and embarked on a spiritual journey into a personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, 
if you have faith.” – Matthew 21:22
< God loves genuine prayers of faith >

Frank stopped going to church for a few years. During those years, Frank spent a lot of time in the word of God. He read the Bible, he studied it, he went deep to understand the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words translated into his English Bible, and he looked to the interpretations of commentators to verses he had a hard time comprehending. But mostly, Frank prayed to the Holy Spirit to help him understand scripture. Today Frank attends a Bible based church, he participates in a weekly Bible study, and he continues to enjoy his daily “manna” of God’s word. Although Frank is almost 20 years older since his spiritual awakening, He is much greener and still growing in God’s presence.

Frank’s journey is far from unique. He believed that by adhering to his church’s rules and ticking off the “required” boxes, he was pleasing God. Some religions are good and some are misleading. In Frank’s case, his former church taught that specific activities were essential to earn God’s favor. A reader’s comment in one of my previous post’s (The Complications of Baptism) addresses Frank’s previous religion perfectly…

“Some of these religions require us to perform certain rituals to belong to their church. It’s like being a Boy Scout and earning merit badges.” – Norman Flynn

Frank was fortunate to discern there was a significant void in his life. His soul was longing for its creator. He learned that going to church and taking part in religious rituals and ceremonies does not make you a Christian. You cannot place God in your debt by performing rituals to earn you spiritual merit badges. God does not want your activities, He wants your heart. Once you invite Him into your heart, He will give you the Holy Spirit to guide you in the activities He has in mind for you.

How Is your relationship with God?
Is it green and growing or brown and dying?

Whether you are a believer or a non-believer, whether your answer is “not so good” or “it could be better;” there is a beautiful Bible verse that tells you all you need to do to make that first step.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. – James 4:8a

This verse is the beginning of every believer’s testimony. God is a gentlemen and He will not force Himself upon you. But if you invite Him in like Frank did, He will come running! Turn towards Him and be filled with His light. Enjoy His presence and allow His light to make your spiritual life green again.

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