As a child most of us have enjoyed climbing trees. I remember climbing an old pear tree in my grandmother's yard to reach the gnarly, not so ripe pears, that we absolutely loved as children. Trees are a symbol we can relate to. Most of us think they are beautiful and yet another sign of God's handiwork.
The Trees Will Sing
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. I Chronicles 16:33
What a beautiful image that creates for me. Just imagine the trees singing in the presence of God. All creation testifies to the glory of God. We will do the same one day in Heaven.
Trees In The Bible
Trees have an important place in many stories in the Bible from the beginning to the end. From the tree in the Garden of Eden that Eve ate from in Genesis, to the tree that stands in Heaven, the Tree of Life, described in Revelation 22.
The Purpose Of Trees
Trees offer us shade, they offer us fruit, they provide heat in the form of firewood, they can be places of safety behind their sturdy trunks or in their leafy branches. Trees stand in the storm, they give the birds of the air and many other animals shelter, they are a place of refuge.
I Shall Not Be Moved
Many times the Bible compares us to trees. In Jeremiah 17: 7-8 God says
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit."
When I was a child, we sang a wonderful song called "I Shall Not Be Moved". The first verse goes like this:
When my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved, when my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved; like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved.
I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved; like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved. (refrain)
Like A Tree?
Are we like trees? Do we bring forth good fruit? Do we stand immovable? Do we sing before the Lord? Do we gain our life from the living waters that is the message of salvation? In time of trouble and loss will we be free from anxiety knowing our roots are deep? No matter how bad things get will we continue yielding fruit?
Deep Roots
In our world today we need deep roots to withstand the evil we face daily. Deep roots nourished by prayer. We need the living waters of the Lord's word to sustain us. We need to sing the praises of our God. We need more than ever to bring forth good fruit - love, patience, joy and more. We need to be a refuge for those who don't know God. Someone they can turn to who can show them a better way.
Blessed
In Revelation 22:14 one of the last references to trees occurs. It says,
"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."
Let us pray that we are among the blessed!
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