Flourishing with Age

No one starts out life with an understanding of how they will live their life or what their life will produce, me as much as anyone. Conversely, I can now look back over my years with increasing understanding. I’m finally able to see the greater plan and purpose interwoven through my years, even those I would describe as my muddling years. Recently I was reading a commentary by Joseph Benson and his description of late fruiting trees resonated with me. Fruit trees are fascinating. Obviously, each variety of tree is unique in how long it will live, in number of productive years, and its volume of fruit. Benson spoke of a particular date palm that grows in girth, height and strength for around thirty years before it starts producing any significant fruit. Imagine having the patience to wait for this!

Of course, I have wondered why there’s such a long a wait to start fruiting. Reaching into my limited understanding of fruit trees I know that most common fruit trees like avocado, cherry, apple, or plum trees for instance, will take between three to seven years on average to fruit (even that can feel like an eternity). My father, who grew up on an orchard in Stanthorpe, would tell me that those pre-fruiting years are necessary to build the structure and strength of the tree into a framework able to support the weight of future fruit. He also indicated that any fruit that grows before this will possibly drop off naturally or be culled by the orchard keeper for the sake of the health and productive value of the tree.

It's worthy of note that the aforementioned date palm, from thirty years on, will produce increasing amounts of fruit every year. And not just small quantities of fruit, it produces hundreds of kilograms of fruit each year! Cambridge commentary quotes Doughty (Arabia Deserta, i. 286) speaking of palms ninety feet high and two hundred years old, in the oasis of Teyma. I don’t know about you; this gives me encouragement and hope - not that I will live two hundred years but that I can produce fruit for many years to come!

This brings me to my reality. Life has had its way of increasing the load that I carry. Which is both wonderful and problematic. Wonderful, as I want to continue being all that I can in giving to others. Problematic as my natural strength is waning. I’m beginning to feel as though the finish line is a long way off, and the fuel in my tank is decreasing. My catch-cry spoken many times over the last (almost) forty years to my husband, has been that,

“I want to die with my boots on”.

I thrive on work and having daily challenge. But, gradually over the last few months I have caught myself considering something new. Actually, I’ve not only thought it, but I have also uttered words which I have long held at bay,

"I think I'm looking forward to retirement".

The double-take my husband did, made me want to recant in the moment, but alas, the deed was done and there's nothing that I can do to take it back. There appears to be a transition happening internally. So, while I'm still in the midst of very productive years of my work life and I both want and need to continue for years to come, I find myself yearning for some time to enjoy the fruits of my labour. My natural supply of energy and strength is running dry it seems. I've been pondering these things over the last few weeks and have been asking for grace and strength to continue. I have need of an increasing flow of the Lord's life to move through my next season and so I'm encouraged and uplifted by these words...

Psalm 92:12-14 (NKJV) says “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing.”

Jeremiah 17:8 (AMPC)  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.