It is a very common occurrence around this time of the year to hear someone utter the words, "I can't believe its a new year." Or, to hear the question asked by many, "Where did the year go?" It seems like time is moving at laser speed.  2016 is over and it is now 2017.

 

For many, this past year (2016) has been filled with ups and downs.  For some of us there were more downs than ups, while for others there were more ups than downs. So how do we make sure we begin this new year on target and ready to be fruitful? As we see in Luke's record of a conversation Jesus is having concerning the frailty of life and the suffering many experience in this lifetime, Jesus also shares a parable about a fruitless fig tree.  The fig tree in this parable has not borne fruit. The tree had time to bear fruit, yet for some reason it was not successful. 

 

Jesus shows us through this conversation some of what is needed for us to bear fruit so that we do not end up like the fig tree, alive but fruitless.  As we embark on the new year (2017) let us start off strong so that our lives, relationships, careers, etc. will produce fruit to the glory of God.