grace period

Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it be alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" - Luke 13:6-9

This parable is laden with grace and gravity. It's a picture of a nation or a person who has received abundant mercy and extraordinary care. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure that we bear fruit.

Many, however, remain chronic consumers of grace, connoisseurs of great sermons, soaking up sacraments week after week, year after year, but simply refusing to fulfil our God-given purpose. God is not harsh. The doom that follows is self-imposed. 

"Time's up," says the Master. "Cut it down!" "No, wait!" cries the Caretaker. "One more year." God is patient and forbearing. He stays the axe and lavishes yet more loving attention. He extends the season of grace. He gives nations and people time to respond. He will wait. But not forever. Forty years after Jesus spoke this parable, Jerusalem and the temple lay in ruins. They did not read the signs. They did not respond. Will we?

source: the eleventh hour