February 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Hosea 14:5–9

Devotional

Where the seed of God’s Word falls in good ground, fruit will originate from the fruitfulness of Christ alone. People of God, you must continually learn that any fruit in your life, any reflection of God’s goodness, is only due to His grace and strength working in your life. He determines the good works in advance that you may walk in them. That is a humbling but also a precious truth. God’s Spirit teaches you that all your righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). He removes from you that which is yours and grants you that which is His. In this way God is glorified in His own work.

Soon the day of harvest will come. Then the fruit will be gathered into the heavenly barns. All God’s dealings lead to the great day of the harvest. Therefore, be diligent. You need God’s Spirit to work in you to bring forth fruit. Only the Holy Spirit can open the soil of your heart. Only God’s Spirit can cause the seed to germinate and to grow roots down into deep places where Christ is found.

In finding Christ, sinners bow in humility before God. Indeed, Christ descended to the depths in order to meet the deepest fallen sinner. There in the depths Christ ministers to poor needy sinners. Therefore, be dependent on Christ. Blessed are they who have been humbled with Him and buried with Him, for they shall also arise with Him in order to bear fruits in the vineyard of God. Therefore He says, “From me is thy fruit found.”

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.