I guess well never know why it died so suddenly. Our beautiful Cherry Tree . its mighty branches reached toward Heaven, then curved gracefully back toward the ground . . as if to embrace the one walking beneath it . . enclosing us into its cool, welcoming shade. We watched this morning with sadness . . as it was unceremoniously cut into pieces . . and hauled away. Its extreme beauty . . is just a memory now. It will soon be firewood for someones fireplace. Was it the heavy rains . . that seemed to drench the sandy soil . . causing the roots of the beautiful Cherry Tree to be exposed . . rather than growing downward . . into the safe, nurturing soil that lay deep below the trees surface? Or . . was it the strong winds that blow through these beautiful Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains . . winds that seem to excite the Mighty Oaks . . as they twist and bend with every gusty assault Mother Nature sends their way. Not so with our Cherry Tree. We were not aware that . . beneath all its gorgeous exterior . . it had become weak and vulnerable inside. I felt Gods closeness in my yard this morning . .as I quietly said Goodbye to our Cherry Tree . . as He seemed to remind me of my own human tendency to be careless about my Christian life. I was reminded of the warnings from scripture . . comparing how to grow strong in the Lord . . with the planting of seed. The ancient words of Jesus Himself . . cautioning us to be ROOTED in the Word of God . . lest the cares and vicious attacks of this World . . leave us weak . . and ultimately destroyed. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. BUT SINCE THEY HAVE NO FIRM ROOT, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 15:40:04 +0000
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