Three Trees

The following is from a newsletter I recieve from a ministry. It touches on one of my favorite stories that I read to the kids and wanted to share it with you. May you be blessed!~Marie

Whenever people put their faith in Jesus he immediately tests that faith. When under fire, will those who are really called to be his disciples hold to his teaching and remain in it? We are tested by being stretched and through that stretching we are given a deeper revelation of the things of God. Sometimes He will require us to put our trust in Him, rather than what our circumstances look like or what our understanding is of all he is saying and doing. We need to grow in our understanding and faith to recognize that what He is and what He does is the heartbeat of God. The very fact that He is from God means He is going to speak and act in ways that are not in synch with the thinking of this world. Staying 'put' and submitted to the teachings of Jesus is a sign of true discipleship. It is evidence or our openness and loyalty to His call. Even, if our life makes no worldly sense.

Where is the Glory in this?
There once were three trees that were planted on a mountain high above a small village.
Each tree had a dream for its life.

Tree #1 dreamed that it would grow-up strong and one day be built into a large beautiful box to hold all kinds of jewelry, coins and royal treasures.

Tree #2 dreamed that it would grow-up to be tall and strong and one day be built into a large ship to sail Kings and all kinds of important royal people across the oceans and mighty seas.

Tree #3 dreamed of growing up to be the tallest tree in the world. It wanted to be so tall that when people looked up to its highest limbs they would see God. This tree would point the entire world toward heaven!

As time passed by all three trees grew tall and strong. It seemed that all three trees would grow right into their destiny. Life was so grand and held so much hope as each new day brought them closer to their individual dreams----or, so they thought.

Then one day. . . A woodcutter came up the mountain and chopped down Tree #1. Tree #1 was so excited! He finally was going to be made into that beautiful box to hold all kinds of precious jewels!! However, this tree's hopes were quickly dashed. The wood from this tree was given to a simple farmer who took the wood and made a simple feeding trough to hold hay and feed.

Tree #2 was the next tree to be cut down. This tree was incredibly excited as it imagined sailing Kings over the mighty oceans as a big ship!! However, this tree's hopes were quickly dashed as the wood was given to a local shipyard and became a small fishing boat---destined to carry smelly dead fish and grubby fishermen to and from the shore of small lakes and seas.

Tree #3 never even got a chance to reach the mighty height it dreamed of becoming. It was cut short of this dream and cut into small timbers that were thrown in a heap at the local lumberyard.



It seemed all three had lost their dreams. Their dreams were over and gone. How could any of them take glory in what they had become?
Maybe-----Glory has a different definition that only can be comprehended by those who know God.


One day----a young mother was about to give birth to her baby boy. There was no place in town for her to birth this precious baby boy. Her husband found a stable outside of town; took that simple feeding trough and made a soft bed for their new little one.


It was then Tree #1 suddenly realized that it had been destined to carry the most precious and treasured jewel of the entire world------Jesus.


One day---there was a mighty storm over a normally calm sea. The small smelly fishing boat was being whipped and beaten against the mighty waves. It was then one of the sleeping travelers awoke and commanded the storm to silence.



It was then Tree #2 suddenly realized that it had been destined to carry Kings. It was carrying the King of all Kings----Jesus.


One day---cut timbers were picked up from a heap at the local lumberyard as the crowds were yelling "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" The cut timbers were used to make the cross in which the King of all Kings was nailed against.


It was then Tree #3 suddenly realized that it would be the tall tree that the world would forever look up to and see---God. This tree would forever point the entire world to Heaven!!

"If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me."


Isn't it really all about perspective? True, we all hold great dreams and expectations for our lives. We have goals, visions and many dreams; however, not all goes as humanly planned. Sometimes those broken dreams, misaligned goals, and visions-gone-sightless can be the very vessel that God uses to shine forth His greatest glory. It may not always seem so when everything we had planned for seems to have fallen apart or appear hopeless. But, I can guarantee you that if you do not allow bitterness to grip your heart and harden it; staying malleable in the tender hand of our Father---He will do more than you could ever plan for or dream of. If you allow Him to do His perfecting work and show His glory in the making, He will take every broken piece of that dream and radiate it to shine in His glory in ways you least expected!!

He is faithful to complete that which He has started. The trust lies within our hearts.
Will we believe it?


We may become just a lowly feeding trough holding the jewel of Jesus welcoming the entire world to come and see. We may become a small fishing boat that carries the peace of Jesus to far-away places---quieting storms in people's lives. Or, possibly we may find ourselves as a piece of cut-up timber-----used as the platform in which the glory of our King can stand. The promises we have to hold on to are stated in His Word through-and-through. He has promised to take glory in the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weak things to frustrate the strong.


Will we believe? Will we follow regardless of understanding His plan?
For, it takes getting to know the heartbeat of our Father to make
living as His disciple for His glory and not ours.

Our glory means nothing---but the Glory of our Father means everything.