in my town, I drive by it most mornings when I have an early wake-up. This tree is almost perfect in shape and size and leaf distribution except for this one limb. The tree is lush and green, full of leaves and a perfect size to climb. This limb that sticks out is a chubby limb, thriving, but it's awkward. It sticks out further than the rest of the tree, noticeably so. Last summer the city trimmed trees along this road and I have often times wondered why they chose to keep that limb untouched, why didn't they prune it back to fall in line with the rest of the tree? That is what I would have done.
Early this morning I drove down that same street and had one of my children in the car with me. She had awoken from a nightmare and so I tucked us both in the car and drove off in search of a special treat. Hot chocolate for me, pirate cake pop for her. I know - not the best thing to start off the day with (we did eat a healthier breakfast, I promise)...but as we drove by I remarked on this tree. As soon as I was done lamenting that branch, I realized, isn't that exactly how life is? Some things come together beautifully, while others are awkward and stick out and are noticeable. But you know what? Those awkward things are not to be lamented, they are to be celebrated. It means there is life and that God is not done with us yet. It means that we are growing, some areas faster than others, but God can be trusted to prune back the branches that need to be pruned and to give space to the ones that are growing (albeit awkwardly) in the right direction. We just have to make sure that we are seeking the healthy soil of His Word to dig down deep into, the running water that He promises is where our taproot needs to head towards and we need to abide in Him because He is the source of our very life.
Psalm 1
John 15
Isaiah 44:3
John 7:37&38
Isaiah 55:1
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