I was reading Proverbs 11 and the second part of 28 leaped out at me: "... the righteous will flourish like foliage." Creativity suddenly surged in my heart. I threw on my paint clothes and rushed to the studio to prepare a canvas.
Lately, I've been painting with a method called acrylic pour. It's blissfully messy and loads of fun watching the colors swirl across my canvas. It makes me think of the trees we might see in Heaven, full of many, indescribable colors.
The theme of 'trees' has been my focus recently as the Lord imprints upon my heart that we are trees of righteous - the planting of the Lord.
My home is surrounded with big, big trees over 100 years old and 100 feet tall. Last year I had to have two giants cut down. One tree, closest to my house, turned out to be completely hollow!
"I don't know what's been keeping this tree up!" the contractor told me. "That thing is hollow clear up twenty feet!"
"The only reason it's standing is because every time the wind blows I pray that the angels will protect my trees." He just stared at me.
What keeps our spiritual 'trees' standing in the storms of life? I believe it's the daily in-filling of Scripture and time in prayer. It's so easy to get busy and allow our prayers to be reduced to a few hurried words.
That huge tree in my yard could have fallen on my house! It didn't look weak, but its insides were hollow. I'm very grateful the Lord prompted me to call the tree surgeon.
I want to flourish ... don't you? I want my branches to hold the manifold (multi-colored, and many faceted) riches of His grace. It's impossible to spend time with the Lord and come away the same.
Living full, free and flourishing ... sounds good, doesn't it?
