Issue 1558 – Pin Oaks – September 24, 2024
The pin oak is a tree common in the US that we do not have in most of Canada. I find it fascinating because it often does not lose its leaves in the autumn. Instead, they fall off once the new growth starts in the spring, which pushes the old leaves off.
I see a remarkable parallel between the pin oak and the Christian faith walk.
We are new creations once we come to Jesus.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
As new believers we are left with the old dead leaves of our sin and our past hanging on us. As we continue to draw closer to God and grow in maturity as Christians, He reveals the things that need changing, and with new growth in those areas, He pushes the old dead leaves off.
The problem is that, as Christians, we often want to do God’s work for Him. We start trying to pull the old dead stuff off under our own power instead of allowing Him to work.
We forget that He has a master plan. He knows the order in which He has decided for us to grow. Sometimes, parts of our lives must be transformed/healed /corrected before we can grow in other areas.
We get frustrated when we try to circumvent God’s plan by picking what we want to change. Our efforts often fail because new growth is not ready to push the old away in that area yet.
Sometimes, God pushes large clumps of our dead leaves off at once, and sometimes, it is a leaf here and a leaf there. We need to learn to trust what He is doing in our lives.
Our part is to draw close to Him. We need to start walking in obedience to what He has shown us, to praise, pray, and study His truth. Then, we get out of the way and let Him work on our lives. When the time is right, He will show us what and how to change the things that He has prepared for us.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
No two-pin oaks ever lose their leaves in precisely the same way. Why would we think that any two Christians would be transformed in precisely the same manner? He has created each of us individually, has a personalized plan for our lives, and draws each of us from a different place.
Instead of comparing ourselves to others and plucking our leaves like theirs, we should trust God and let Him work in us according to His perfect plan.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Oak trees do not mature overnight. It takes many seasons for a sapling to become a mighty oak. God is transforming you into an oak of righteousness, and that takes time.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn: to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
Until next time, rejoice in your uniqueness and let God work.
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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