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In the final months of Jesus’ earthly ministry, as He was leaving the Galilean area and heading towards Jerusalem to face the cross, Jesus spoke urgently of repentance. In Luke chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable of a man who planted a fig tree in his vineyard, and for 3 years the tree bore no fruit.

The owner told the vineyard-keeper to cut the tree down, but the vineyard-keeper asked for one more year to dig around the tree, and to fertilize it. If the tree did not yield the following year, he would agree to cut it down.

This parable is an illustration of God’s judgment, which is certain, but it also reveals the gracious nature of the vineyard keeper, giving one more opportunity to repent and be fruitful. Are you living in that “One more year” period of time? Has Jesus been digging around the base of your life, nurturing you, and prodding you to surrender fully to Him?

This season of grace will come to an end, and the justice of God must be carried out. True fruitfulness in our lives always involves a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ. When the vineyard-keeper digs around the base of your life, the manure that fosters growth may not be pleasant, but the fruit of the Spirit that comes will be a blessing to all around you, and spare you from the judgment of God to come! Perhaps, we as a nation have been given “one more year” to repent as well. May the Lord dig around the base of this faltering country, and may we as a people be fruitful once more.

Marv Fisher is the pastor at Calvary Chapel Farmville and can be heard weekdays at 1:30 PM on 105.3 Equip FM radio. He can be reached at pastor@ccfarmville.org.