THE ICY GNARLY ELM  


Winter has arrived here in the woods. The woodland floor is covered with a blanket of snow and every tree limb and bough has snow resting on it. I think of God's grace when I look at the snow- of Christ's shed blood covering my sin.

The poem is about an old elm tree who has weathered a few winters. She stands alone, beyond the spruces. Her time is ending, as all times do here on earth- as all living cells do, plant or human. Death will come to the old elm tree. I, too, will have to face it someday.

Just as man is destined to die once,

and after that to face judgment.

Hebrews 9:27 

I heard a wonderful message from Pastor Fran. He said 'God inhabits eternity':

For thus saith the high and lofty One

that inhabiteth eternity,

whose name is Holy;

I dwell in the high and holy place,

with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,

to revive the spirit of the humble,

and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isaiah 57:15 (KJV)   

I looked up some definitions in the dictionary, the second most-used book in my home.

What is a contrite spirit? Contrite means "being thoroughly sorry or penitent."

Penitent means "feeling or showing sorrow for having sinned or done wrong."

Humble involves "the virtue of humility". And humility is "the quality of being without pride" or voluntary self-abasement. It's good to know what these words mean because this is who God will dwell with. And revive.

God has told us to put our trust in Him, as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, the verses today's poem is based upon. Don't lean on your own understanding. Compared to eternity, we are but a small amount of time...a little section of string on a ball of everlasting string, tossed out into all known space, still unraveling. (This was a cool demonstration Pastor Fran did at a Sunday Night Alive! service!)

The exact center of the Bible is Psalm 118:8 and it talks about trusting God, too, which I think is neat:

It is better to trust in the LORD

than to put confidence in man.

Your trust in the God who inhabits eternity and your waiting on Him will go a long way:

So Christ was sacrificed once
to take away the sins of many people;
and he will appear a second time,
not to bear sin,
but to bring salvation to those who 
are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28

Enjoy winter days and the clean, crisp, white snow that covers much. 

I conclude today's blog with another reminder of prayer:

Pray persistently and earnestly to our Heavenly Father...the God of Love.