Okay so I'm driving to Onething today and half listening to talk radio and half to Ann Marie. The person on talk radio starts talking about how cold it is today and he says this. "It's so cold today that I saw 3 leaves fall from a tree as I was coming to work." Those words stir up a flood of thoughts inside me for the remainder of my trip.
My first thoughts were taken back to Matthew 6 and how we looked at many different things. But now the tree was intriguing. Does the tree drop it's leaves by instinct, by appointment from it's creator, or by choice? If by appointment then I think it would happen on a specific date every year. Then I believe it would also drop it's leaves in the exact same order. I know this is not the case. If the tree drops it's leaves by choice then I think it wouldn't be uncommon to see a tree in the middle of winter fully clothed with all its leaves. After all those branches would stay warmer if they had some covering on them. I know this is not the case.
Here's what I do think. I don't think the term drops it's leaves is not accurate. I think the tree surrenders it's leaves not because of choice (obviously) nor instinct because both imply some type of intellegence within the tree. I believe it's because of the character and nature of it's creator. Also the tree surrenders it's leaves when what appear to be adverse circumstances comes it's way. Cool weather, a windy day, a disease that attacks one part of it's roots or branches. A circumstance triggers an action. That lines up with the definition of a circumstance. CIRCUMSTANCE - a condition, detail, part, or attribute, that accompanies, determines, or modifies a fact or event. One question I had was this. Is the tree not strong enough to with stand the circumstance? OR........ Is it in the trees best interest to face the adversity so that the leaves would surrender and that would provide health to the tree for the future? And what about those surrendered leaves? Aren't they a hastle to clean up? OR... are the beneficial for some other part of creation? Is it a hastle to clean up after people (so to speak)? OR... well you can finish.
Then I recalled this verse, Romans 11:36 Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise!
APPLICATION - Look for a verse that brings clarity for you about your circumstance and determine if it is for your good or a result of a choice not well thought out(in hind sight).
Romans 8:5-6
ReplyDelete5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind controlled by the sinful nature [d] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
I think this is for my good. My spirit is full of God, but my mind still rules in some areas of my life, a lot of areas of my life. I'm learning to let my the Spirit control my mind, and shepherd it into the right direction.
On another note...
ReplyDeleteGod really showed me something about the tree...
When the adversity comes, winter, cold, etc., the tree has to let go of it's leaves. The leaves are almost like the plants own ability to make food for itself. Depending on how the tree grows or how much it desires to gain more food it will grow more and more leaves. When the adversity comes and it can no longer make it's own food (or gain energy from the sun to make food)it has to shed the leaves. The true test is what kind of ground the tree is planted in, and how far down it's roots go. Is the soil rich with nutrients? Or it is full of garbage? Are the roots too shallow? If so they could be damaged by the cold as well, and the entire tree can die. But when the roots go deep down the tree is firmly planted, it seeks out it's only source of life - the living water.