I love trees.
I always have. There’s something about their purpose as well as their beauty that I appreciate, like the shade they offer, protection and homes for animals, and the fruit some produce.
I even love to observe their skin–more commonly known as bark. Every kind of tree is different–its bark unique to its family. And I love how they change colors in the fall, lose their beauty, wait through the winter, then become beautiful and green again. We can learn a lot from the trees.
Isaiah wrote this about people (like us) who would be healed by the LORD. He wrote:
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
Isa. 61:3b
Have you ever thought of how trees glorify God? Their branches stay raised toward the heavens as if in worship, and their roots grow down deep providing stability, and finding nourishment and water from the soil. Their purpose is not for themselves but for the creation around them. A they bring beauty to the landscape.
How do we live such lives?
[bctt tweet=”How are we the oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor?” username=”wordsbyandylee”]
How do we flourish?
Romans 12 has nothing to do with trees. But Paul gives instruction on how to live in such a way that we will flourish and bring glory to God.
Grab your Bible and journal. Jot these verse down. It’s easy this week, all Romans 12. It’s a candle lit, coffee poured, pen to the paper and ear open to hearing kind of week. I pray these verse nourish you. I pray they are the Living Water your branches need to help you flourish as a planting of the Lord.
I am traveling on Labor Day, returning back home from a visit in Florida to see my daughter and her husband. I won’t be on Periscope Monday, but I’ll see you Tuesday at 8:20 ET. I pray your week full of glimpses of His love for you. You’re one of HIS favorites.
Thankful for daily grace,
andy
