My Tree

Often we beings of the earth simply push through the dense forest of life while carrying our own personal tree. As life swiftly rushes by we simply proceed with our little tree that we first took hold of so long ago. Now we are simply satisfied to carry our tree, day after day. After all, it is all that we know. We've carried it for years. As we walk through the forest we never take the time to see that our tree is not the only tree in the forest. In fact, it is the only tree that we really do see. My desire is to put another tree right in your path and cause you to stop and smell the coffee. The aroma, wafting from around the smooth trunk of the slim little tree, planted right in your path, smells so good. And then you notice, "what a pretty little tree. And so different from my own. And to think... I can plant my tree and not always carry the same ole weight on my shoulders." What a Practical Approach to Walking through life's garden, side by side with God.

Pro 3:5-6 ESV
(5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
(6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things for Christians to do is to "Not Lean On Our Own Understanding." After all, we learn from our experiences walking with God. According to Proverbs chapter 2, we seek for it, search for it, ask for it and God gives it to us. And again in James we simply ask.

Jas 1:5 ESV
(5) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

If we are not careful, we learn a method of walking with God and never question as to if we learned it correctly. Or perhaps better said, is there a more perfect way. For example, there are many "techniques" or "rituals" we run into during our walk with which we might agree or disagree. One that comes to my mind is what is called the "Sinners Prayer." It seems quite wrong to tell someone words to speak, or to simply repeat after me, during a time of sincere heart felt repentance. However, the roots of this doctrine probably came from sincere people trying to help someone voice their heart's remorse during a time of soulful prayer. It is easily justified because sometimes people do not always know how to speak words of repentance or they feel unworthy to do so. And so someone decided to help. Now that method has evolved into "Salvation" for many denominations. I personally disagree with that as I don't see its use in the scriptures. Yet as a young boy I did believe it. Haggai 1: 7 says "Consider your ways." Yet just try and get someone who really believes in it strongly to stop and reconsider their ways? It isn't too hard to get a sinner to understand that they are in desperate need of God. But it is a whole different matter to get a Christian to reconsider something they have done for years.

We should always remember... If we are hesitant or refuse to hold any of our religious practices, methodologies or doctrines up for review under the revealing light of God's Word and Spirit, we are simply just carrying around our own personal tree within the forest of the Kingdom of God.

Paraphrasing Matthew Chapter 7, Verse 21:

"Lord, Lord, Look at my tree. Its so nice. And I've been carrying it around for thirty years. Thousands have seen my tree and been blessed."

The Lord replies "It was never planted. It was never watered. It never grew and actually never helped anyone. It is dead, and by the way, who are you?"