One day while at work, the Lord gave me a vision. He showed me a room with a very large, beautiful table. It was dark in color and made with the finest woods. It was the Lord’s Table. Just beautiful! On the table was a very large apple, stunning in color and form. The apple’s color was a true red mixed with gold.
I was in complete awe and thought to myself, “Why this, Lord? What does this mean?” I began to ponder. A great peace came upon me and hope was ignited.
Now before this vision my life had been turned upside down. The circumstances were so overwhelming. There were many things happening so fast. I had feelings of hopelessness; depression was trying to grip my soul. Both of my parents had passed away a year apart from each other, and during this time my husband was diagnosed with a lung disease that continues to threaten his life. I struggled with feelings of fear, anxiety, grief, insecurities, sorrow, brokenness, and desperation. If God doesn’t move…I am in trouble. I lost my joy, and I am normally a pretty joyful person. I love God and God’s people, and I enjoy everything I do. The dread was tearing me apart. My heart was aching; however, I knew God would see me through.
Have you ever felt like this, wondering how you were going to make it through your circumstance? I am here to encourage you that there is hope, and we can be fruitful in our season of crisis, despair, loss, or whatever the situation may be.
Let me encourage you with what the Lord shared in this vision. The table that represented the Lord’s Table was a place of intimacy, fellowship, preparation, and service. It was like when you invite someone to your home for lunch or dinner. You prepare, serve, and partake of the meal and nurture your fellowship with one another.
The Father invites us to sit at the table that He has prepared for us. Scripture says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Ps. 23:5 NKJV). Who is your enemy? Is it fear, depression, stress, etc.? Whatever it is, God has prepared your way of escape. He gives you the tools to prepare you for His service. Then He anoints your head with oil; the Lord anoints your thinking so that you can think like Him during times that are difficult. He anoints you with His Holy Spirit and His fresh oil to overcome anything and everything. You will be refreshed in His presence and experience the fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11).
In John 21:12, the Master calls, “Come and dine.” Our heavenly Father is beckoning us to come. Matthew 11:28–29 says, “Come unto me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (NIV). Peter also encourages us to “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7 NIV).
In the second part of the vision, there was an apple. The Lord asked me, “How do you eat an apple?”
I replied, “You wash it, bite into it, and eat it.”
“Exactly,” He replied. “The fruit you need is in Me. I am love, joy, and peace.”
Do you need more love, joy, peace, etc.? Just partake of it! That’s exactly what I did. I decided to partake and eat the fruit of joy. As I began to praise God, I was lifted, and my countenance changed. I was walking in the joy of the Lord. Now I am not saying that all my circumstances changed—but my perspective did.
John 15:4–5 describes Jesus as the Vine and we are His branches. The branch that is of Him produces fruit. The branch that is unfruitful, He cuts away. The passage says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine you are the branches: He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing” (NKJV).
Apples have seeds. Apples produce apples. Oranges produce oranges etc. God’s Word is seed and it produces God’s fruit! When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive the incorruptible seed of salvation and are born again and receive a new nature. First Peter 1:23 says “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever” (NKJV).
The Word says we will know people by their fruit (Matt. 7:16–20). What kind of fruit are we displaying? Is it love, joy, or peace? Or are we so overcome by our situations in life and so burdened down that our fruit is deficient?
In our difficulties, there is an eternal purpose. As we give our brokenness to God, we become stronger, like Him. The seed of God is eternal and it will produce after its likeness. We have to choose to partake.
I can hear Him say, “Come and dine, the Master calleth, come and dine.”
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