The Childrens Bread Solid Food for Hungry, Growing - TopicsExpress

The Childrens Bread Solid Food for Hungry, Growing Christians The Tree In September of 1948, just a month after my sixth birthday, my parents moved us into the unfinished log cabin they had been building on a wooded half acre in Farmington Township, Michigan, now called Farmington Hills. Our property was joined to a three hundred acre truck farm on the south end of Oakland County. The south half of the farm, where the farmer’s house was situated, was tilled and planted, which left the north east end, where we were, a vacant field, with a few wooded acres to the west. Looking south from our kitchen window, and about three or four hundred feet straight away stood a very large, lone, oak tree, probably more than three feet, and less than four feet in width at its base. As a youngster I paid no real attention to it. My buddies and I played games around it, such as sandlot baseball, football, army, cowboys and Indians, and such. As I grew older and the farm was sold and converted to a riding stable, a few of my friends and I stole out to ride the horses bareback at night and that tree was a landmark for us. In the mid 1960’s a good part of the field was cleared for a subdivision and in the late 60’s that tree was felled to make way for an elementary school playground. As I became a man, and turned to the Lord, He taught me things of the Kingdom from my memory of that tree. There were no other large trees around the tree. The closest stand of woods was five hundred feet away. This tree was alone. Standing alone in that field had its advantages as well as disadvantages. Trees in the woods are protected from the elements by the presence of other trees. Fierce winds are somewhat tamed and broken down by the forest. The heavy snows and ice that could break branches are tempered by the protection of the trees standing together. Trees in the forest intertwine their roots and thereby strengthen themselves together to stand. In the forest, most of the leaves of the trees are protected from the scorching heat of the summer sun. There is a picture here of believers in community with one another. When we dwell together in unity we draw life from one another. We defend and protect one another. We have a community Well of Life in Christ Who is our Life; from Whom we draw the water of Life, together. When storms come we huddle together and ride it out in the shadow of one another. When drought comes, and the Word of the Lord is precious, we pray together and give each other drink from our reserves. The forest, with its green beauty is synonymous with the Church in unified community. The beauty of love and holiness is seen by even the world. Jesus said that men would know we are His disciples by the love we display to one another. Psalm 133 says that the unity of the brethren is like the precious ointment upon the head, which ran down upon Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments…. for there the Lord commanded the blessing, which is life for evermore. I have experienced the glory of living in this situation in many years past. But, there are times when we are like that tree in the field; planted alone. This tree was planted by the Lord. Jesus said He chose us and planted us. There were no other oak trees in the area to provide seed. It was unique, not better, but unique, in that it was not a part of the community of trees. It began as a seed and its place of residence was chosen by God, not unlike your place in the world. There were smaller, scrub trees in the areas, more like bushes and its home was also decorated with red colored sumac bushes. A tree planted alone by the side of a river, like a willow, can drink from that flowing water and survive rather nicely. However, this tree was planted in the midst of a dry field, in ground that was never tilled. It bore the fierce winds of winter all alone. It had no protection from the heavy snows and ice that accumulated on its branches and threatened to break them from the trunk. Those storms of wind, ice and snow served only to make the tree strong. Its roots stretched out far and wide to grab the earth it was planted in, stabilizing itself and holding fast. Summer drought quickly dried up its source of water and it had to drive its tap root deep into the earth to drink the precious, life giving water necessary to its survival. The scorching sun of summer beat down upon the leaves of the tree and turned them to a burnt brown. It is strange to me that each year the tree would yield baskets of acorns, and yet no tree grew around it. The squirrels and other animals were fed and supplied through that tree. In summer, the tall, long branches towered on the upper trunk of the tree and stretched out like a giant open umbrella, in majesty and splendor where multitudes of birds made their nests in safety. The acorns and the leafy haven are pictures of the fruitful life of a believer who has bloomed where he is planted. In winter, those same branches are arms and hands, raised high in worship to God. Even the barren branches against the gray winter sky declare the glory of God and His promise of spring and new life. This is a picture of the desert wilderness we sometimes find ourselves in. For some, it is a part of their journey that is designed by God to help us grow into strong, mature believers. He removes the comfort of friends, and even while in the midst of friends, there is little comfort. Nothing they can say or do will satisfy or comfort. Our souls are accustomed to the water of Life, but in the desert wilderness the wells are dry and we have to go deep in the Spirit to find the refreshment we need. This is also a picture of some saints who live their lives in the deserts. God said He called Abraham alone, and blessed him. John Baptist spent most of his life in the deserts until his showing to Israel. His light shone bright in public for just six months. For thirty years, Jesus spent His life in obscurity, bearing within Himself the knowledge of His identity as well as the purpose of God. He shone in glory for just three years. I wonder, if it were possible, what that lone oak would think as he looked over upon the well fed trees in the twenty acre stand. Adversity and weakness comes in many packages. We must accept adversity as a gift of God to grow us into His purpose, prepared for that moment of glory on this earth, and for the eternal purpose that will see us fully engaged in the will and plan of God in eternity, known only to Him. Don’t shrink from adversity. Overcome. God does not leave us alone in the difficult opportunities He provides for our good. He carries us, nudges us, hugs us, provides for us and brags about us to the principalities and powers in the heavens. Rest assured that everything He does has purpose and works together for good; both yours, and that of the Kingdom.