Most trees lose their leaves every year. They die, but their dying brings new life come spring time. As the years pass and the leaves grow and the leaves die the tree grows. I think this is true spiritually too. Parts of us die and allow Christ to bring His life into our dead areas. As we watch a tree start out as a seed, become sprout, grow into a sapling, and become a tree that grows bigger each year…we also grow progressively to be more like Christ.
Bareness
Another thing I noticed was that the trees were bare…nothing but branches. Nothing to hide behind, just bare. Each of us also goes through a process in which our “dead leaves” fall to the ground, and we are bare. What’s interesting is that, unlike the trees, we have a choice if we are to be stripped bare or not. We have to apply godly principles such as…”Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” – James 5:16 or “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” – Colossians 3:13. Dying involves letting our ways fall to the ground, and allowing His ways to spring forth in our lives. This death is a requirement for life, both in nature and in our spiritual lives.
Oaks of Righteousness
Isn’t it interesting that the Lord speaks through Isaiah and calls us “oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor” (Isaiah 61:3). We are a “planting of the Lord” and our purpose is “for the display of His splendor”. May you willingly die that He might bring life in order that His splendor might be displayed through your life…
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