Have you ever looked at trees and marveled at how a small nut could produce a tree as big as the Angel Oak Tree?
I was sitting on the porch looking at the tree tops here in Birmingham. Noticing all the branches reaching out and somewhat up. Then in my mind's eye I saw the Angel Oak tree with its branches curved up and then down and up again. And there lays this thought behind this blog.
That tree with all its branches show us our life. The trunk is our root system. For some of us it is rooted in Christ, others not yet. Because we are rooted in Christ, we are fed through the scriptures and sermons He brings into our lives daily or weekly. Life is good, as indictated by the upward growth. And then the weight of life hits us. Our root system dictates whether we break or grow through it. The season of growing through the difficult times are mirrored in the branch's downward but continuing to grow section.
So many parables from Christ come to mind. The parable of the vine and the branches (John 15:5-6), or the seed parable found in three of the gospels (Matthew 13:1-30, Mark 4:26-33, Luke 8:5-15). By abiding in Christ, studying scripture, trusting that God has this, and walking through life in a prayerful mindset, we are able to withstand those challenges and stay rooted.
Ironically, the parable ot the mustard seed follows the seed parable in Matthew. Sometimes that is all the faith we are able to muster when things just keep happening. When I cannot wrap my head around the vine and branches or the seeds scattered and sown parables, I cling to the mustard seed.
What are you clinging to today? What is going on that keeps you from seeing the vine for the branches?
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