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BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY BLOG@ Rhythms of Grace: a Journey into RestSustenance for the journey into rest and peace
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THIS SERIES: CHRISTMAS TREE DIARIES In addition to using our Christmas trees to meditate on the Tree of Knowledge (see last week’s post), we can also use them to reflect on the Tree of Life. (Don't worry if you put your tree up much closer to Christmas, these are preparatory thoughts, and there will be opportunity for more specific prayer later on.)  We read that there was another tree in the Garden of Eden: the Tree of Life. We can imagine it being filled with big, beautiful fruit, hanging low and easy to pick; the whole tree vibrant and pulsing with life. The idea was for Adam and Eve to eat from that tree and receive God’s own life, the Holy Spirit, so they would become spiritual beings as well as living souls [Genesis 1:7]. They really would become like God. But the way to this tree was by bowing the knee, by accepting the Lord’s sovereignty, His right to rule. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey, the way to the Tree of Life was barred, and they were sent away from the garden. This was not the action of a vengeful God intent on punishment, but a merciful Father; He did not want them eating from this tree and living forever in their fallen state. But the call of Eden remains deep in the subconscious of humankind, and our hearts are restless until we find our way back. I believe it’s one of the reasons we respond so deeply to beauty—because we hear the call of Eden and the Tree of Life. And that deep cry of our hearts can be satisfied, because God had a plan to open up the way again… THE CROSSThat way was through another tree: the one on which all salvation history hangs. The Bible describes death on a gallows as ‘hanging on a tree’, and one so executed as being ‘cursed’ [Genesis 40:19; Deuteronomy 21:22-23 NKJV]. When He was crucified, that description was applied to Jesus [Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39]; and through His death, Jesus took upon Himself everything which separated man from God. He has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. [Galatians 3:13 NKJV] The Cross set us free, and opened up the way to the presence of God again. We can come home. We again have access to the Tree of Life (see below). The Cross is the answer to every human condition. Isaiah spells it out in chapter 53: Jesus died, so we could receive…
In the Cross is everything we need. It was never supposed to be merely a point of theology, or a creedal statement; the Cross is the power of the Gospel, the place of encounter with the Living God, the place of transformation. Let’s make sure we take time to linger there. THE WAY RESTORED Jesus’ purpose in coming was so that mankind could have Life—abundant life, bubbling-up and running-over life. This Life would come through God Himself taking up residence in us and filling us to overflowing. The fruit of the Tree of Life would be available again to His creation. Jesus prepared the way; through the Cross He dealt with all the obstacles. Then when He ascended into Heaven, He sent the Spirit to finish what He started. The treasure of all treasures is Christ in us (through the Holy Spirit)—the hope of glory [Colossians 1:27]. Let’s ask Him to fill us to overflowing with His life, and then to release those rivers to flow out of us to a thirsty world. The final manifestation of the Tree of Life will be at the end of the age when we step from time into eternity. In that new era, the Tree of Life will bear fruit without ceasing, and the nations of the world will be healed. The invitation to eat from the Tree in that final day goes to those who have overcome [Revelation 2:7]. The Book of Revelation explains that the way to being an ‘overcomer’ is by the ‘blood of the Lamb’ and the ‘word of our testimony’ [Revelation 12:11]. We have seen that the Cross is all-important, and that Jesus’ shed blood is the key to the treasure trove. Every time we approach the Father, every time we ask in Jesus’ name, we do so, on the ground of His shed blood. And every time we take bread and wine, we declare the efficacy of His death over our lives [1 Corinthians 11:26]. A testimony is the avowal of the works of God—in our ‘family’ history (contained in the Bible), and in our personal history. Not only does each of us have a personal testimony of salvation, but we have experienced numerous examples of His intervention. As we speak of these testimonies to our families and friends, declare them publicly to gatherings and to the heavenly realms, we cause the Evil One to flee, and we become ‘overcomers’. Jesus’ death has set us free, and opened up the way to the presence of God again. We have come home. The Tree of Life, signifying the Holy Spirit, has become ours to sample. We are to feed on its fruit and allow His Life to pulse through our bodies, and fill our hearts and souls. THIS WEEK'S GRACE RHYTHM:
2. Take time to reflect on the Tree of Life and the way opened by the Cross. Consider doing a word study for Isaiah 53, as it is the declaration of our inheritance received through the Cross. The Blue Letter Bible website at www.blueletter.com contains a good online concordance for this purpose. Alternatively visit The Power of the Cross page on this website. 3. Bring all the issues of your life before the cross. Thank Jesus that He paid the price for every one of those things. Listen to what He says. Declare the power of the cross over each one: Through Jesus’ death on the cross I have been… 4. Go back to the list of God’s blessings and interventions in your life. Ask for opportunities to share some of these with people: what He has done for you, He wants to do for others. 5. Ask Him to fill you to overflowing with Himself, and for those ‘rivers’ to flow out to touch the world around you. Declare: Jesus said ‘Streams of living water will flow from me, because I believe in Him!’ [John 7:37] NEXT WEEK: CELEBRATING TREES Using the Christmas tree as a prophetic declaration GET IN TOUCH!
[Photo credits: Andres Dallimonti (hand and fruit); Master Unknown (archway);
Annie Spratt (Christmas foliage) @ Unsplash, with thanks]
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