JULY 10, Galatians 5:22-23 

What is your favourite fruit? In a tropical country like ours, it is easy to find a large variety of fruits. And with modern technology and transportation, fruits grown in cold countries may also be readily found here.

Today and the next 8 days, we will spend some time talking about a fruit. However, it is no ordinary fruit for it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This is one fruit, but it has many components to it, all good, all different, yet all linked. We will also concentrate on just 2 verses for these nine days and learn in depth what they mean.

The fruit of the Spirit happens when the work and word of God is effective in your life. The completion of this fruit will take time, but the end result is beautiful. But what is this fruit? The verse tells us clearly, it is love. Love has 8 parts, each of which we will examine on a daily basis. For today, let us focus on love.

This word “Love” is from the Greek word “Agape”. This is not the nice temporary feeling some may feel, or the romantic kind of love one may see on television. Agape love is the purest form of love, a tough and wonderful love that can only be seen and tasted if a person first experiences it from God.

This type of love is the highest and greatest kind of love. At the point a person experiences salvation, he will first experience true love from God. This forgiveness comes at a tremendously high price, for Jesus had to die on the cross to secure that forgiveness. That describes in a way what agape love is. Agape love is sacrificial, kind, and generous.

Do you have this kind of love? Are you able to love others in that way? Frankly, it is not easy to have this kind of love. In fact, it is impossible to have this kind of love, unless it is the Holy Spirit that empowers you to do so. That is why it is called the fruit of the Holy Spirit, not the fruit of the believer. How would this kind of fruit be reflected in our lives? By the careful growth and nurturing of the various aspects of this love. And it will take time! Remember, the fruit is the evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you. Do you see such a fruit in your life?

Thought: May I have this wonderful fruit of agape love!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the fruit of the Holy Spirit. May I learn how to slowly grow and nurture this fruit by constantly learning more and more to be like Jesus. In His name I pray, Amen.