Scroll down to see and play Audio.
Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Among all the great handiwork of God around our universe, which draws our attention and simply amazes us, I wonder what you see in TREES?
This is the fall season, and in many parts of the northern hemisphere of our world, an amazing annual phenomenon is happening as the leaves on many trees are changing colors. I’m sure you understand God has put several remarkable natural laws in motion, including the rotation of our planet on its axis, and earth’s orbit around the sun, which affect sunlight intensity and number of hours of sunlight each day. And climate temperature and humidity and many other factors which cause the trees to go through this annual miracle of color.
I wonder, of all the trees in our world, which is your favorite type? There’s a certain palm tree, called the “Royal Palm” which is I think my favorite tree in the south, and then there’s the red maple in the north. But what about the great OAK tree?
We’re in Isaiah 61 this week, and verse 3 says “They will be called OAKS of Righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His Splendor.” If trees could symbolize people, “Oaks of Righteousness” are the types of people we desperately need all over the world, would you agree? Look again at that great verse… who is the “They” in this verse? Well, may I suggest it’s two groups of people:
First, it’s those we’ve been considering who have the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD upon them. And these people are actively engaging the hurting, broken, bound, captive, people who are mourning all around them. And they are engaging the needy with the love and in the power of the risen Jesus Christ. So, is that you my friends?
Secondly, it’s the people who receive God’s help through those Spirit anointed folks, and as they trust Jesus for His help, wounded, heartbroken, people in bondage are finding deliverance from what has bound them for a long time. They are finding healing for deep wounds. They are finding HOPE which is driving out their despair. They are finding God’s love to be what they thought could never satisfy their deep ‘poverty of the soul’.
Now is that you my friend? Can you see yourself described in Isaiah 61:1 as one of those people desperately needing God’s rescuing help? Are you ready to do what the people in Psalm 40 and Psalm 116 and Psalm 18 did… crying out to and trusting in the Resurrected Jesus, and expecting that He will do for you what He did for blind people, and crippled people and demon possessed people and even dead people, when He was here on earth, as He rescued them and gave them a new life!? Why not do so right now, right this minute, and expect that you will experience what they did in those three Psalms and in the Gospels.
Perhaps you are a person who looks at Isaiah 61:1 and you say ‘that used to be me’…but I did call out for God’s help and now I am one of those who is anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit and I am helping other people find God’s help!
Listen to how Jeremiah describes it: “Cursed is the person whose heart turns away from the LORD. They will be like a bush in the wasteland… but blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in HIM. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and it never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
Now friends, look around where you live in the world. Do the people look more like frightened, anxious, worried bushes in the wasteland or lush, full leaf, well watered, fruit bearing trees? Do you see what makes the difference my friends? I think it’s especially ROOTS. All trees have roots, and all roots search for two things… nutrients in the soil, and water. No living thing grows without nutrition and water. So what are you feeding on my friends? What is nourishing your mind, your heart, your spiritual life, your relationships? Where are your roots searching for the nourishment you need for living? Have you noticed, just living life everyday in whatever normal is in your part of the world, is demanding, tiring, and wears us down. We all therefore need to be sure we are nourishing ourselves well.
By the way have you noticed… while it’s true, a physical workout can give you a great feeling of physical fitness, and a wonderful concert can give you a wonderful emotional experience, and a great meal can really fill you well, it is your SPIRIT that feeds your soul and all of your life. Have you discovered that your spirit is what needs the greatest amount of nourishing? And when you are refreshed, renewed, restored spiritually, then every other part of your life will be renewed from the spiritual vitality that overflows out of your spirit into your mind, heart, personality, passions, and even your body! Do you remember Paul wrote to Timothy: “Train yourself to be godly, for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise both for this present life and the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:7,9)
Now why do you suppose God used OAK trees as His metaphor? Why not Palm trees, or Pine trees, or Cedar trees, or whatever the trees are where you live? Could it be their STRENGTH, their Reliability, their Durability… oh my, all those character traits are sure needed in our crazy world aren’t they? Maybe it’s their hard wood and very deep roots, thus their ability to withstand drought or high wind storms, or hail or floods or even earthquakes? Maybe it’s the huge wingspan of large leafy branches providing shade for animals and mankind alike? Maybe it’s all of those traits and much more.
And what do you think God meant when He led Isaiah to write “They will be called Oaks of Righteousness…”? Do you see reputation in that statement? We all have a reputation don’t we? But our world desperately needs people who live with such moral, ethical, spiritual strength and courage, that we call them “Oaks of Righteousness”. Of course none of us is righteous, holy, perfect, sinless, pure. But with our sin forgiven and our lives rooted in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit living within us, then YES, we can live God honoring, righteous lives!
And what do you think it means… “a planting of the LORD”…? My friends, do you believe God is constantly watching the world to see how He can accomplish HIS purposes? (Psalm 33) And further, do you believe God is always watching to see WHO is ready for HIM to involve in what He is doing in any particular place around the world, to make a difference for His glory?
Listen to these two verses: “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro, across the whole earth, looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9) “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose which prevails.” (Prov. 19:21) So my friends, do you see yourself in these two verses? Are you living where you live and working where you work, or enrolled in the school where you are a student, because God PLANTED you there, for His glory and so you would be an “Oak of Righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the Display of His Splendor.”?
So, how deeply are you rooted, and how are you nourishing your mind, heart, soul and your spirit? And how are you helping all those around you who need a strong oak tree of righteousness? Now think about that strategically, and tomorrow we’ll consider how to live for “the display of God’s Splendor.”
Here’s a wonderful song of worship and reflection on the majesty of God and His creative power, to help you stand in awe of how God displays His Splendor all around us. As you watch and listen, think about how God wants His splendor to be seen in you and me, my friends, and just thank Him…Praise Him!
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.