There are a lot of people who are like a little boy riding on his rocking horse. There is a great deal of motion and action, but very little progress. A lot of people in the church are like that. They may go through a lot of motion, be involved in all sorts of things, but they do not really make progress in their spiritual life. True use of the means of grace: i.e., the Word and the Sacraments, will inevitably cause us to grow because grace always grows. It is always progressing. Those who grow will be given more (Luke 19:26). That is the absolute law of God.

One farmer in a country church used to say at testimony time: “Well, I haven’t made much progress, but I am established.” One day he was bringing his wagon full of logs into town; the road was wet and the wheels sank into the mud. One of his fellow church members, who did not really agree with his view of the Christian life, happened to be passing by. He said, “Well, Farmer Jones, I see that though you are not making much progress, you are established.” What some people call “established in the faith” may be little more than established in the mud.

If you truly have the grace of God, the principle of life within you, there is growth. That means you will be growing in faith and love, peace, joy, and all the other fruit of the Spirit will show themselves in your life.

Jesus, the true Gardener, let Your grace produce fruit in my life. Give me the strength today to partake regularly in the means of grace…