Pablo Casals was considered to be the
preeminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century. When he was still
playing his cello in the middle of his tenth decade of life, a young reporter
asked, “Mr. Casals, you are 95 years old and the greatest cellist that ever
lived. Why do you still practice 6 hours a day?”
Mr. Casals answered, “Because I think I’m
making progress.”
What a great attitude! As believers in
Christ, we should never be satisfied to think we have reached some
self-proclaimed pinnacle of spiritual success, but rather continue to “grow in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Jesus reminds us in John 15:16 that He chose us to “go and bear fruit.” The
result of healthy growth is continuing to bear spiritual fruit throughout our
lives. Our Lord promises: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides
in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (v.5).
In a steady and faithful progression to
become more and more like the One we love and serve, we can be confident that
He who began “a good work” in us will continue it until it is finally finished
on the day when He returns (Phil. 1:6).
God’s unseen work in our hearts produces fruit in our
lives. (RBC)
