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)
