Today this tree filled my spirit with the awe and wonder of our great God! God created this beautiful tree! Then His lightning struck it. It was touched with His fire then carved upon by people and yet it pressed forth! It flourished, raising its branches to the heavens to glorify the King of Kings and Creator of the Universe!
My thoughts went first to the scarring on the tree, why would God create something so beautiful only to later burn it from the inside out? Why would He allow others to carve upon it and hurt it more where it was charred? Perhaps He did this out of love for the tree, the forest, the animals, and the people who would encounter this tree. Perhaps the scaring of this tree created shelter, hope, and sustenance for all sorts of creatures. Or maybe, just maybe, it was for me and all those who look at God’s creation and power in awe! I think that Psalm 97:1-6 really captures this.
"The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world;the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.” Psalm 97:1-6 NIV
Then my thoughts turned to our relationship with the Great Creator of the Universe! You see in God’s word it says that we will be tested and tried by things in our life. We will be bruised and battered in our spirits just as Jesus was bruised and battered on the cross. But we have this hope… Jesus knew all that we would ever go through when He was on the cross. He carried our sins with Him so that we could have a relationship with God that was not scarred by sin and shame. He opened up the door for us to be able to speak with our Creator.
We all have scars in our lives. We may have been marked by the words of another, we may have been physically hurt by another, we may have been torn down and battered by our own choices, or scarred by the things we see each day in the world around us. The fact is we all have times and seasons in our lives when we will feel the preasure of a fiery trial. Just like this tree! Just like the refiners fire that is talked about in God’s word! It is how we respond to this time of trail that will either grow us in our faith and help us to shine the light of the Lord to those around us or cause us to question, compromise, and falter in our faith. When we chose to lift our heads and hands up in worship in the midst of the trial just like this tree that is when God can use us! Yes, He chooses and uses willing and broken vessels that will turn to Him with all their hearts even in the midst of the fiery furnances of life! We are sculted by the Creator of the Universe every day and in every sittuation when we choose to call upon His name and step forth in faith.
Are you going through a fiery trial in your life right now? If so I encourage you to call on the name of God, through the authority Yeshua, Jesus Christ gave us and ask Him to sculpt you into His masterpiece for His glory. Worship the Lord and offer a sacrifice of praise! Lay your burdens at the foot of the cross. With this make the trouble go away? Probably not! We all have trials and a subject to consequence for choices we make on a daily basis. What it will do is allow you to be comforted and at peace during this time. It will bring you the joy of the Lord, and it will give you the strength you need to hold on to His hope and love for your life!
Let’s pray together:
Father God, Creator of the Universe, we are in awe and wonder of all that you do! You created all that is around us and care for each thing. You sculpt us on a daily basis and refine us with your fire, yet we are not destroyed. We are made into living vessels to spread the light of your love around the world. Lord God we thank you that you sent your Son to the Earth to give His life so that we may have a life everlasting with you. We thank you that you are with us even in the midst of our hardest trials if we call upon you in Yeshua, Jesus name! We thank you that you have a master plan for our lives and that when we trust in you and follow your path that you will work all things for your glory. Be with us Oh Lord, and help us to worship you in the midst of our trials. Help us to feel your presence near us and help us to rest in the assurance of our salvation through Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Lead and guide our steps Oh Lord for you are the author and perfecter of our lives. We ask all this by the power and authory you have given us to ask in Yeshua’s name, Amen!