Devotional 3-3-13

A True Story That Never Happened …
A tree stood in a regal vineyard. It was grateful to be there. It was proud to be there. The ground was full of the strength of life….trees call it grace. The tree worked hard with its roots to pull the strength of life from the ground to make itself tall and strong, to make its leaves dark green and large, and to make the roots multiply in order to absorb more grace in order to become stronger and more beautiful. Every year for three years the owner of the vineyard came to the tree and brushed through the leaves and looked at the tree intently. “How beautiful I must be” the tree thought.

One day the tree overheard the owner talking to the gardener: “Cut this tree down, I never find fruit on it! It is just using up the good soil for no reason!”

The tree panicked: “Fruit?? He wants fruit?? I was working hard to be strong and beautiful; I didn’t know he wanted fruit??”

Then a nearby bush said, “Hey buddy, what kind of tree are you? Don’t you know?”

“Of course I know”, the tall, beautiful tree said, “I’m a pear tree…..” As soon as the tree heard its own answer, it he felt ashamed.

“So…not a beauty tree?” the shrub asked.

“…No…” the tree answered.

“Not a strong tree?” the shrub asked.

“…No…” the tree answered.

“Not a pretty big leaf tree?” The shrub asked.

The tree became more ashamed: “Ok, ok, I get it! I’m a pear tree, and I was meant to produce pears… I realize that now. But it looks like it’s too late. He expected pears, I failed him…and I have used up all of the grace around me…and now I’m going to be cut down.”

Just then the tree overheard the gardener speaking to the owner: “Give it another year. Let me put some fresh grace around it and let’s see what it does this time. If It doesn’t work this time, cut it down.” The owner agreed.

The tree was amazed and relieved. He couldn’t believe he would be given more time and more grace. He said to the shrub, “You know, if I was the gardener…I don’t think I would have done what he did.”

The shrub said, “That’s the gardener for you. He is just, well, different. His ways and thoughts are, a little higher I guess. He is really good…and really forgiving…You on the other hand are incredibly forgetful…”

“What do you mean?” asked the tree.

“Don’t you remember?” The shrub replied in disbelief, “The Gardener and the owner have been having the exact same conversation over you about this same time every year for the last three years!”

It’s a true story that never happened….

What kind of person are you?

A person marked by the cross of Christ, sealed by God’s Holy Spirit, a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven? A child of God?

What were you made for? Why were you planted where you are? I think we each know that answer somewhere inside ourselves. Of course we can always know more about the will of God for our lives…but thankfully there is grace for that, to give us understanding. And as we gain understanding, grace also gives us the courage and the heart we need so that we might be fruitful and that we might, each in our own way, give this world what God desires it to have: redemption, hope, forgiveness, love. Do you not know that these are yours to give? They will flow from you when you understand the God and the grace of God that moves through you and claims you.

Child of God, citizen of Heaven, be fruitful in this world that hungers so deeply for the love and grace of God – for this you have been created, planted, called, and empowered. Amen.

Rev Joe HIll