But on both banks of the river will grow up all kinds of fruit-bearing trees. Their leaves won’t wither, and their fruitfulness won’t wane. They will produce fruit in every month, because their water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for eating, their leaves for healing.

Ezekiel 47:12

We have within us a deep desire to live a fruitful life. This desire is part of our creaturely DNA, if you will. It was placed there by God when he created human beings in his image and called us to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28, ESV). Yes, sin can dull our desire to live a productive life, in addition to making it more difficult to do so. But, in my experience as a pastor, most people want to live in a way that makes a difference in this world.

Ezekiel 47 offers a vivid picture of fruitfulness, one that instructs and encourages us. In last Friday's reflection, I focused on the first part of this chapter and its vision of a river flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. This fresh water of the river transforms the salty deadness of the Sea into a body of water filled with fish. As the river flows from the Temple down to the formerly "dead" Sea, it nourishes "all kinds of fruit-bearing trees." Unlike normal trees, these will not wither or stop being fruitful. Moreover, their "fruit will be for eating, their leaves for healing" (47:12).

Why are these trees so fruitful? Why will they never wither? Because, as the Lord says to Ezekiel, "their water comes from the sanctuary" (47:12). The sanctuary, more literally the "holy place," represents the presence of God on earth. It is the place God lives, so to speak. Thus, the life-giving river in Ezekiel 47 flows from God, the source of all life. Extraordinary fruitfulness comes when trees are blessed by God's own nourishment.

The implications for us are obvious. If we want to live fruitful lives, we need to be consistently fed by God. We need to "eat" his Word and "drink" in his Spirit. We need God's gifts and wisdom. We need the fruit of the Spirit. When we try to live productive lives apart from God, we soon run out of energy and our leaves begin to wither as our branches stop bearing fruit.

Ironically, it is often in times of greatest productivity that I'm tempted to distance myself from God. When I have so much to do, when I'm trying to make the most of every minute, I find it easy to spend less time with the Lord. I cut short my prayers and might even skip church so I can get more done. In other words, I do exactly the wrong things if I want to be truly fruitful. Ezekiel 47 reminds and challenges me to center my life in God, to let my roots grow deeply into the soil of his life, so that I might be like those trees along the river, fruitful in every way.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: What helps you to draw nourishment from God? When and why are you tempted to live on your own? For what, in particular, do you need God's power and wisdom today?

PRAYER: Thank you, gracious God, for being the source of life. Thank you for planting me alongside the river that flows from you. Thank you for all the ways you help me to be fruitful and resilient.

Forgive me, dear Lord, for the times I uproot myself and back away from you. Forgive me for the arrogance and ignorance that suggests I can thrive on my own. Thank you for drawing me back to you, for replanting me and renewing me.

Help me, O God, to live in you each day. Help me to be rooted and grounded in your life and love. May I bear fruit for your kingdom in every part of my life because I am living in you. Amen.