While lunch walking earlier this week, my eye caught these trees. Obviously, you say, you snapped a shot. It didn’t register with me at first. In fact, I’d continued my zip walking about 10 feet when the hmmm part of my brain kicked in and I backtracked.
I’m sure folks driving by thought I was daft standing there in the middle of the sidewalk just staring at these trees for several minutes. I stood there trying to figure out exactly what it was about these trees that fascinated me so. Have you ever looked at something and thought what is it about this? Something stirs in your brain but not something you can instantly put your finger on? That’s how I felt. What was it about these trees that roused my thoughts? Then it came to me.
It is Winter, but the leaves of these trees clung to these trees. I don’t know what kind of trees they are, but my first thought was some kind of oak. Don’t quote me on that because I don’t know my leaves when they’re lush and green let alone when they’re dried out brown and shriveled. But one thing I do know is that when Fall approaches, leaves dry up and release off the trees, isn’t that why the season is named? Anyone with even a few trees knows the hours they rake and the bags they stack. And since we’re in Winter season, in my mind, I thought there should be no leaves on those trees, green or brown. That was the answer to my hmmm.
The leaves on these trees were dead, they were dried out, brittle and shriveled up yet, they clung to the source of their life. The leaves on these trees were dry, barren, dehydrated, yet they wouldn’t let go.
It reminded me of a couple of folks in the Bible who may at times struggled to produce fruit, physically or spiritually, yet they clung to the promises of God, their source of Life, our source of Life. Their circumstances may not have been pretty, lush and green and glowing. Nor easy, the winds of doubt may have constantly swirled trying to detach them from their source of Life. Over the years, their faith may have dried out a little and they may have been in need of hydration. Over the years their faith may have become brittle, and they were in need of encouragement.
Yet when you look at Hannah, Abraham and Sarah, Paul, and so many others in the Bible who were physically, emotionally and spiritually barren, desperately needing rehydration, crying out to God, waiting on the Lord, sometimes through many many seasons of life, you see that despite their barrenness of whatever kind, they clung to their source of Life.
There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, while Hannah did not.
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I’m not drunk! But I am very sad, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. Please don’t think I’m a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.
1 Samuel 1:1-2, 15-16
Hannah clung to Life.
Sarah is ninety; how could she have a baby? Genesis 17:19
Then the Lord did exactly what he promised. Sarah became pregnant, and she gave a son to Abraham in his old age. Genesis 21:1-2
Abraham and Sara clung to Life.
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
Paul clung to Life.
The Bible, our source of the Word, is replete with examples of all those faithful ones before us who at times felt dry, shriveled, unfruitful, thirsty, brittle, and on and on, yet they clung to Life. They didn’t let go. What amazing encouragement is in His Word.
Whatever you are walking through this day, whether it be the lush green leaves gently blowing in the breeze or the dry brown leaves battered by the gales, cling to Life, grab the hem and hold tight. He will respond, refresh, renew, and rehydrate.