What does God expect of me?

If my expectation of God is His changeless nature and reliable Word, what is His expectation of me?

Jesus said He chose us to “bear fruit” (John 15:16 NIV).   That is always God’s expectation of His people. 

God chose Israel to be a fruitful vine (Isa. 5:1-2), and His purpose for His Church is that it be “neither…barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of….Jesus Christ” (II Peter 1:8 KJV).

When God wanted to reassert Aaron’s priesthood, he instructed Moses to deposit twelve rods, or sticks, in the tabernacle, one for each tribe.   On the next day, Aaron’s rod was the only one that “sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds” (Num. 17:8).   The production of fruit was the sign that Aaron was still the chosen priest, still the intercessor of God.

God accepts our service, but not because we are educated, special, ordained, or have a fancy title.  He accepts us because we bear fruit.

The office means nothing to God apart from that which He considers to be the first condition of service---fruitfulness.  

I am to avoid anything that substitutes for that fruit, and not pretend to be a genuine Christian unless the fruit itself vindicates me.

Aaron’s rod was a dead stick, nothing more, until activated by the Spirit of God.   Then it became alive, and from that life it produced the bud, blossom, and fruit. 

So the source of my fruit is not me, but God.  Apart from the life that He breathes into me, I will never be able to bear fruit for Him.

The fruitful man is an alive man who offers God His own fruit strained through a human personality, which becomes an offering of endless pleasure to Him.

“Work hard, and you will have a lot of food; waste time, and you will have a lot of trouble.”  Prov. 28:19 CEV