POOR LITTLE FIG TREE
ALBUM: Amazing Hope 'n' Humor
Song location: http://dianadeeosbornesongs.com/2009---2011-Song-List.php
Song Story:
THE MUSIC. Why is this ballad so slow? Try very quickly saying “Fig Tree Care” without sounding like “Vict'ry there”! And saying fast “fig fruit there” and “Galatians Five Fruit List.” God was answering prayers for clarity even at 60 beats per minute! :) See my blog for Songwriting hints about selecting song tempo ("Fast New Songs").
Song Story: THE LYRICS:
The first two verses of this song's lyrics were completed in about 5 minutes at some store's dark parking lot that I pulled into on my way home from a studio session... at 3:10 A.M.
I was thinking about someone who was mad at me without even coming to me to ask why I did something that needed to be done. Then I started thinking of how often I gripe at God in my prayers for awhile before remembering that I don't have all the facts and He does, so I should trust Him.
And then for some reason I thought of this fig tree story in Mark 11 and Matthew 21--
A few years ago I was annoyed again to realize
how many years I had wasted being annoyed with God........
to realize that the answer was so simple.
You just have to know something about fig tree biology,
as told at the end of Verse 3. When you don't understand why God does or doesn't do something, do you remember that you might be missing some facts? God never is ignorant of all the facts. God's decisions are loving, just.... and just plain Right. No matter what we humans mistakenly think about Him. How much do YOU like it when people decide something about your character that is plain WRONG? Mark 11:25 is Jesus's word to you and me--- concerning our thoughts about God, also.
Dedicated to Jesus ...... Who is always Just, 3 September 2011
REFERENCES:
JESUS: "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer [is] near.” --Matthew 24: 32 NKJV
Earlier: “And seeing a fig tree by the road, He [Jesus] came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.... --whole story is in Matthew 21: 19-21
"And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He [Jesus] went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs."
2
“When He [Jesus] came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it.... Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Jesus, Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
3
Simple Answer:
The authors were writing to people who knew all about how fig trees grow so they saw no need to explain what people back then knew:
Fig trees bear figs FIRST, and then put out leaves to cover the figs. So if you see a fig tree with leaves, you can expect to find something to eat on that tree.
SPOKEN 4: Luke 6:43 to 46, Jesus has just been talking about hypocrites. Then Jesus said to the crowd of people, "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.... "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.... But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?”