Issue 1540 – Over the hills and through the woods – September 3, 2024
It’s over the mountains and through the woods… but not to grandmother or grandfather’s house. This delightful woodland trail is above Cascade Falls Regional Park and wanders through the forest, leading to some pretty spots on Cascade Creek above the falls.
Great, tall deciduous trees mingle with the remains of old-growth forests, ferns, mosses, boulders, and a soft, carpet-like forest floor. It is easy to imagine fanciful woodland creatures like elves, gnomes, and hobbits living here. It is also easy to imagine you are the only people in the park.
It is in these settings that I relax and get inspired. That is why the children’s book series I am writing deals with various farm and forest animals.
These settings often bring passages of Scripture to mind. They may or may not relate to what I see with my eyes.
Yesterday, I rested in one spot while Kathy photographed the creek from a different angle. Nearby was a giant stump from an ancient tree. Kathy called it the Teddy Bear’s Picnic Table.
That seemed like an apt name. It also reminded me of a giant throne. In fanciful words, perhaps the throne of some ancient forest king.
The true king of the forest is the king of all things. The LORD is sovereign over all his domains, including the animal kingdom.
That thought took me to a familiar passage in the book of Ezekiel.
“I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 24:25-31
The Lord promises a covenant of peace with His people. Even the predators of the forest will be at peace with them. We will find safety even in the wilderness.
What a marvelous promise and incredible covenant.
There will be a time when things will be as the Lord designed them to be, and He will pour out his blessings on His people.
What we saw walking that trail was simply the teeniest, tiniest taste of what He has in store for us.
I can hardly wait. How about you?
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)