I Wanna Be A Tree!

1 Chronicles 16:33
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD; For He is coming to judge the earth.

Psalm 96:12
Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

First things first, I apologize for the breaks between my blogs, life has been kind of “valleyish” lately.  Stepping back into old patterns and just plain not with it!  But onward I trudge through the valley knowing that at the end there is wisdom, love and peace.  Also I know God is standing right with me during the testing and showing me how to overcome my currently situation with grace and unbitterness.  I pray God will see I am trying and honor I am still seeking His wisdom through it all.  Okay onto today’s blog!

During a recent devotion at church, our pastors wife held up sheets of lamented leaves she was sending to her grandkids.  As she shared them with us she pointed out several things like the colors, the shapes, the variety comparing them to us as humans.  She showed some that were blemished and had spots, showing how this could mean cancer in one’s life.  Also from a distance we often cannot see the brokenness but once we take a closer look it is right there.  As she was talking I began to think about my dear friend who has been listening to tree references everywhere she goes and God gave me a reflection to write.  (yes, sorry pastor, during church again..)

Trees grow upwards towards heaven and are calling heaven down….what if we are the trees that are pulling heaven down to earth?  As we stand our ground (regarding the things of God), saturating our roots in good soil, soaking up the sun (Son) and surrendering our arms (limbs) if to say, “Here we are calling out to You oh God, hear our calling.”  As we learn to grow our roots become our foundation and what if at times God just sprinkles some miracles into our lives (just like miracle grow), at this point we grow so quickly that those around us are amazed by the mighty Hand of God upon us and how He is moving us that they begin to gather at our feet to hear the Good News.  They stand in awe so that they too may become rooted and and soon are gathering around to take our seeds of faith so that they too may begin to pull down heaven (His Kingdom come).

As we bend and bow with the winds of change we are brought to a fulfillment of our person.  We will go through seasons and our weathering will show.  Scars will appear and others will see the knots we endured.  Even with all of this, yet we will reach up in surrender asking God to help us grow.  We seek the Son (sun) turning out leaves (souls) upward to receive all that God has to offer.  When it rains we stand and receive.  When it snows we soak in the warmth of His love so that we may remain sturdy for the new growth which is coming so that in summer we can enjoy it’s pleasures.  We are continually standing, rooted in the things of God preparing ourselves daily (reading the Bible) for the next change in our lives, shedding the old (fall) and growing green again (spring) so that we can shine for Him in all of the seasons of our lives.

So I urge you to close your eyes and imagine yourself as that tree pulling down Heaven to earth.  We need to stand in upright positioning trusting God to meet all of our needs daily.  Trusting Him to bring caretakers (pastors, friends, evangelists, teachers prophets) into our lives to give us strength and encouragement. Acknowledging that sometimes our damage comes from ourselves (not enough sun and water/Son and Bible),  other scars come from the actions of others (carvings and other destruction/wounds and hurts), and lastly, storms take a toll (lightening and wind/things we cannot control).  All of these things try to shake our foundation and knock us over but when Jesus comes from Heaven He will not see our lightening strikes or our bare limbs or the knots or the scars, He will only see what you are in your heart.  So get your heart right and thinking straight and you will become a tree of good bearing fruit, one which draws people to your foothold and ask, why so blessed?