Page 306 - Radical Love by Linda Robinson_FEB2025
P. 306
RADICAL LOVE
When troubles pass, we must be careful not to carry offenses and
unforgiveness towards God or man, but allow the restoration of our
stature to be restored by God’s healing power.
The more fruit the tree bears, the straighter it becomes. And finally, the
palm tree will not bear any fruit unless it falls within the shadow of a
male palm. Similarly, we too must rest in the shadow of the Almighty
to bear the fruit of His Spirit.
I am aware that I have gone into much detail regarding the analogy of
the Shulamite to a palm tree. However, before concluding this topic, I
ask that you stay with me as I share words from the book Preaching
from the Types and Metaphors of the Bible by Keach:
“As the stately palm, the Shulammite does not go to the right or the left,
but grows upward. Her affections are set on the things above, and her
top reaches into the heights of heaven, where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God. She continually seeks those things that are above.
The roots of the Shulamite are in touch with the river of the water of
life, which flows from the throne of God and His Lordship in her life.
Her hidden union with Jesus enables her to bring forth fruit without
being influenced by the circumstances or temptations of the desert
world around her. Because of the evergreenness of that eternal life that
is within, her spiritual beauty never fades or withers, but instead goes
from glory to glory. She is full of sap because she is a branch of the
Living Vine, Jesus. His Spirit within her is a fountain which springs up
to apprehend eternal life and immortality.
69
