An Abundance To Come

Devotional for Sunday, August 17, 2008 by Julie Bowles

We live in a new development area that once was farm land. Once the homes were built, it was up to us to plant trees and landscape our properties. It has been neat to watch over the past seven years how each homeowner has added trees and plants to make their own home special for them. My parents got us a Mountain Ash tree a few weeks after we moved in. We chose a spot on the front lawn for it. For the first few years, it was doing okay. Then our area was hit with a disease that attacked our trees; many trees were lost during this time. Our Mountain Ash also suffered and has needed lots of extra care. It lost all growth down one side and developed large open areas on the trunk that needed salve put on to protect the tree from further loss. I can remember my dad saying that we might lose the tree.

Well, I am pleased to report that the tree is "out of the woods" and doing marvellously. One would never even know that it had lost many of its branches on the one side. This year, it was loaded with white flowers; the boughs were bending under the weight. They have now been replaced with green berries that will turn red and stay on the tree for the birds to eat in the winter. This winter there will be an abundance of berries for the birds, not just a few -- or none -- as has been the case in the past years.

We also need tending and nurturing in our lives, and at times, our boughs seem so under attack that we feel we cannot go on. There is Someone who knew the sacrifice that was needed for us, and on a tree, He took our afflictions upon Himself and died for us. Jesus comes alongside us to tend our wounds and stays with us as we heal. How wonderful it must be for Him to see us back on our feet and ready to face the world. As I look upon our tree each day, I am reminded of the price He paid for us.

Revelation 22:14 - Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (NKJV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the price that You paid on the tree for us. We praise and thank You for the times that You come ever so gently into our lives to tend our wounds. Help us to go into this world and show others the tree of life. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Julie Bowles <julieanni@rogers.com>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada

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