The Testimony of a Tree

One Life Lived and Given for All

What kind of year have you lived through since this time last year?

What would the label read on the branch if you drew up a Diagram of your life so far?

Lately, because of the slowing down in the pace of life for me, my memory has been throwing up all kinds of shoots, memories of every kind… but in all of them, no exceptions, “there has been that of God”

Some memories have been of people who have crossed over the River, before me. Some have been of places, some of buildings, houses .. some of those changed beyond recognition now. I am a woman who is grateful for the gift of years and thankful for the presence and comfort of God in times when life was rough and tough and downright painful.

This week many throughout the whole world will be seeking in times of quiet and prayer to catch a glimpse of Jesus during His last precious days with us. I have found that Jesus is living out my life with me.

Jesus is the sap. The life-blood of the tree

Without Jesus I would have had no life at all. Without Him there would be no living .. no life.

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you

John 14. 20 KJV

I am not a preacher. I have done and will do what I can. What I am is blessed, all that I have is the life that I have been given, the life that I have been given is Eternal Life, thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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The illustration is a page in one of my oldest bibles (a lot collected through the years) the bible printed in 1954 is a KJV Thompson Chain Reference Bible… the page shows the recorded events in the life of Jesus as a Tree.

With all my love and blessings for Eastertide and always

Jean

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With God every day is Springtime

The days lengthen and winter must give way to spring.

My 70th Birthday was celebrated quietly on the 31st January, but born in the very closing moments of the last day, I could easily have been February’s child. I have enjoyed 70 years living in this beautiful world, blessed every moment, even the sad, and fearful times I have known my Father’s love, and the love of many. Oh yes there have been quarrelsome times, and hard times, but I have been loved, known and blessed, proving that ‘all things do indeed work together for good for those who love God and strangely that life is just beginning!

“Did you not know? Had you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, He created the remotest parts of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, His understanding is beyond fathoming.

He gives strength to the weary, He strengthens the powerless. Youths grow tired and weary, the young stumble and fall, but those who hope in Yahweh will regain their strength, they will sprout wings like eagles, though they run, they will not grow weary, though they walk they will never tire.

Isaiah 40. 28-31

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At Cana’s wedding feast, the steward calls the bridegroom, and comments, “Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now” ~ and this truly is how I feel, I cannot imagine living a life without the ‘wine of my soul’ ~ without the honey ~ without the sweetness ~ without the Bread of Life, broken fresh for me every day. I pray that your water sparkles ruby red, as the Saviour shares your own daily feast of joy with Him.

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An Everyday Prayer

Lord, in all I do today,

Remind me that there’s just one way to do things that I do best,

To put my mind and heart at rest, and that’s to put in Your great hands, my life, that you alone have planned

And when I feel restless,

Lord, teach me to sit quietly at your feet and learn from You. Like Martha, Lord I often become so obsessed with what You would have me do that I forget You care more about what I am to be…

Help me to remember the most important thing I can do is to be Your child… (B.J.Hoff)

Scriptures from N.J.B

With love and blessings.

We Have to Sit under the Tree of Life

The leaves are falling quickly now, heaps of russets, gold and brown lie in the shelter of the church walls, blown around in swirling clouds once in the shelter of the church walls they come to rest, the wind is seemingly powerless to pick them up again; finally they have come to rest.

There is a sadness about Autumn, the Festivals of All Souls and All Saints seem appropriately placed in this season. The nights are dark and the deeper stillness of winter is drawing closer… but yet, soon the night skies will be a ablaze with the returning of the bright winter constellations… and Christmas Bells, candle light and carols will peal out, shine out and sing out the Joy of the birth of a Saviour, born to wipe away every tear and to make all things new.

It seems to me that ‘we have to sit under the Tree of Life, to learn its wisdom.’

When in Italy on holiday, I was amazed at the number of ‘Trees of Life’ to be found in practically every old, and great garden to keep alive literally the memories of the families to whom these houses belong, and to tell the story of Adam and Eve and the great fall…

To me the Lord Jesus is the Tree of Life and I need to sit under his shade and drink in his teachings and words, often I can see, but not entirely explain, a connection between the thought picture I have of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John sitting under the shade of this mighty tree and the large, stone font in the Church Baptistery which is carved on its four sides with the symbols of Ox, Lion, man and eagle. The evangelists have their 4 faces turned out into the world to the north, south, east and west they speak 4 Gospels but the 4 Gospels are One Word.

It is from this One Word that we are born again and from the 4th evangelist we hear the heart of the matter we have to be grafted into the Tree/Vine that is Christ to bear its fruit, and that fruit has Christ’s seed, and life in it…. and that life is eternal.

“I am the vine; you are the branches, if you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15.v.5).

I believe this is true. All our best endeavours, our brightest, shiniest hopes and deeds one day will come spiralling down as leaves in autumn winds … but the fruit which we bore in Christ and in the spirit will remain and so will we, with Christ forever.