Trees
I think trees are some of the coolest plant or piece of vegetation on the planet. The Lord made trees of all shapes and sizes. They typically have one single stem/trunk that carries the nutrients back and forth from the roots to the limbs. I think that the Lord must have had a blast making all the different kinds of trees. There are trees that bear fruit, some produce syrup, sugar, spices, etc.…. Almost all of them provide shade underneath. Trees are truly a gift from the Lord.
Ezekiel is instructed to share a story about a tree with the king of Egypt. Check this out…
2 “Human, say to the king of Egypt and his people: ‘No one is like you in your greatness. 3 Assyria was once like a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It was very tall; its top was among the clouds. 7 So the tree was great and beautiful, with its long branches, because its roots reached down to much water. 10 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: The tree grew tall. Its top reached the clouds, and it became proud of its height. 11 So I handed it over to a mighty ruler of the nations for him to punish it. Because it was evil, I got rid of it. (Ezekiel 31:2-3,7,10-11 NCV)The Lord uses this story about a great tree to tell the story about how He took out the nation of Assyria. He was warning the king of Egypt about what would happen to them because of pride and arrogance. There is much to be learned in a story like this. I was reminded that while trees are useful plants on the earth, they are still subject to the use of The Creator. He is the One who decides their fate. I think that I can be like a tree. I can put my roots down deep in the water of His Word. I can get oxygen for my top from being in the presence of God. My body can be a tree trunk that carries nutrients from deep within my soul outward to others. If I am a tree, I want to be planted by the life-giving water of God so that I can be whatever He wants me to be. I can produce the fruit He wants me to produce. I can produce shade for whomever He wants me to. I want be a “tree” that serves my Creator.
While Ezekiel uses this story of a tree to tell Egypt of it’s fate, I want to learn from the story how I will always be subject to my Creator in EVERYTHING!
Pressing On! Dwayne