BE A HEALTHY TREE!

He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” —Mark 8:24

             This verse, among so many others, has truly impacted my life.  Jesus had just “spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him.”  Then He asked, “Do you see anything?”  This is when the man said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”  Then “Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”

             It was back in the spring of 2000, the year of covid, that I was praying about being more of an impact for the Lord than I have been up to this time.  I was pondering trees and I did not want to be like an unhealthy, bark-less, limb-less tree.  No, my desire is to a tree that keeps branching out down to the end of the age.

             This verse impacted me because followers of Jesus should be trees— trees of life.  “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives” (Proverbs 11:30).  The tree of life is first mentioned in Genesis 2:9. It was in the middle of the Garden of Eden.  After Adam and Eve sinned they were kept from it and forced out of the Garden (Genesis 3:22-24).  If they ate from the tree of life they would live forever.

             We, as followers/disciples of Jesus, are like trees that have the “fruit” of eternal life.  We received eternal life when we called on Jesus (Romans 6:23; 10:13).  Now we are walking “trees of life.”  Yet…

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” —Romans 10:14-15

             As followers/disciples of Jesus we are mobile trees of life.  We are to be bringing the good news of Jesus to others so they also can believe and have eternal life.  Yes, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.”  Are we bearing fruit?  Healthy trees will!  Are we sharing the good news so others can be saved?  Healthy trees will.  Dear Father, please help us to be healthy trees that are bearing fruit by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  So may it be for Your honor and glory!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkHqaBxPoAM&list=RDDkHqaBxPoAM&start_radio=1