There is a wonderful passage of scripture in the book of Job that says: Job 14:7-9 "For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail. Though its roots grow old in the ground, And its stump dies in the dry soil, At the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant."
The picture above is from a tree in Tennessee that was right on the corner of a sharp bend in the road. Having been struck numerous times it finally was knocked down and cut up, but the stump remained, and as you can see new life is growing again.
Three thoughts have arrested my attention from that passage. The first is that it speaks of the despair of those whom life has continually whittled at till they are nothing more than a stump. There is a depth of hurt and sorrow in this world that is so deep and profound that a death like state is what it most resembles. This is not simple melancholy, or seasonal affective disorder, this is a sadness that is so overwhelming that suicide seems an attractive alternative. But hold on, there is more to the passage...
The second thing I see is hope. The tree above has been given a second chance, and while life will be different it is still beautiful life. One of the first lessons in the bible is that God makes beautiful things out of dust. You may be wondering how that could be done. Don't waste your time, it is not something to figure out, especially in a mind that cannot see a way out. It is just a fact that God reminds us of billions and billions of times a year. Rebirth. Look at the next picture and compare the dirt and the plant. We will never be able to fully fathom how such a thing can happen, but it is a wonderful message of hope for messed up lives. The passage in Job has a wonderful twin in the New Testament: 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,..." Hope is the expectation that something good is going to come my way. Jesus can give you a, "living hope." Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, is ever His promise. From the cold dead soil of your life, though impossible in your own eyes, God can bring new life.Third thing is for believers who will be reading this post, "at the scent of water it will revive." (KJV) It is God's purpose for us that we be the scent of water, to those in a dry and barren land. Others should seek refreshment in our presence because we bring a sense of the abundant life that Christ has given us. Let your light so shine before men... Keep your fire burning!
