Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtHi Fresh Manna Readers, Renee and I will be taking a short Summer Vacation to get refreshed. I will be back to writing on July 29th. If you'd like to catch up on some devotionals you may have missed, go to FreshManna.org and click on the archives button. We'll be praying for you! See you soon! Orchards of Love by Pastor Tim BurtIt was a beautiful, sunny autumn afternoon. A small group from church decided to take a Saturday trip to an apple orchard where they could pick ripe apples, enjoy a hay ride pulled by a tractor, and enjoy ciders and the delicious pastries the orchard was famous for. They invited a single young man—Samuel, who had only attended the church for a month and their small group for a week. Samuel was surprised at their kindness in inviting him and was also excited to meet Pastor Ben, whom they also invited!The group car-pooled to the orchard, and it turned out that Samuel and Pastor Ben rode together in the back seat of one of the cars. Ben was nervous about being a new Christian and having never talked to a Pastor in person before. Pastor Ben quickly disarmed those fears, leading the conversation and peppering Ben with questions about his family, life, and upbringing. He made Samuel feel like a friend in no time at all.As they were getting close to arriving at the orchard, Pastor Ben asked Samuel, "Do you have any particular questions about Christianity I can answer for you?" Samuel, giggled saying, "Only about a thousand!" They both laughed and then Samuel said, "I do have a question I could ask you today." "What's that?" said Pastor Ben. Samuel replied, "I haven't lived as a Christian for more than a few weeks. There is so much I don't know or understand. But I would like to know this. I want to understand the difference between a life lived with God's love and one without." Pastor Ben smiled and said, "I know just how to answer that question. I'll have the group help me but I won't answer it until we are in the orchard!"When it came time to walk through the orchard, Pastor Ben pulled the group together and told them how proud he was of them for inviting Ben on the trip. He then told them of Ben's question, "What is the difference between a life lived with God's love and one without?" and said, "Now we are going to demonstrate the answer! All of you walk with me!"As Pastor Ben was walking through the orchard, he was looking closely at each tree until he found the one he wanted for the demonstration. He called one of the gals—Mary, over and said, "Mary, I want to you pick ten apples from this tree." Mary approached the tree, and although it was not that tall, the apples were toward the top of the tree and she couldn't reach them. She jumped again and again but couldn't reach one of them. She tried climbing the tree but that didn't go well and she was afraid she might break a branch or hurt the tree. So there she sat with no apples.Then Pastor Ben pulled the group together—all except Samuel. "Samuel, you wait over there." Pastor Ben then whispered to the group, "Break up into groups of four. One of you get on the other's shoulders and pick the apples. Then gently toss them to your helpers for them to put into the basket." Samuel didn't hear a word but wondered what they were going to do. "Begin!" said Pastor Ben. The three groups did just as he said, climbing up on shoulders, laughing, falling, trying again, balancing, grabbing, and successfully filling up a basket with apples in less than 10 minutes. They laughed more, cheered, and were excited that they could get it done together.Pastor Ben gathered them together and said, "This is what life without love looks like. Mary struggled, grew weary, and was disheartened attempting this alone." "When everyone worked together, you climbed on each other's shoulders, passed apples down, and filled the baskets. You laughed, coached, encouraged, and cheered each other and succeeded together." And that's what life with love looks like. You help each other, share each other's joy, and achieve more together than you ever could alone."Pastor Ben continued, "The power of love is strongest in unity and it is God that helps us adapt to and develop those kinds of successful attitudes and approaches to life. Love prevails! It's God's way! Love leads us to look out for one another, share blessings, and celebrate each other's successes. Love turns our individual efforts into a shared joy, making our burdens light and our lives full and more joyful!"
Samuel nodded, realizing that love transforms struggles into shared victories and loneliness into fellowship. He got it! As Christians. We do life together in God's love! He understood that a life filled with love, rooted in God, is one of mutual support, joy, and abundant blessings. And he was reminded of how wonderful apples straight from the tree taste, and the orchard's delicious pastries which they all might have over-indulged in!Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.”In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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