5. CELEBRATING TREES

THIS SERIES: CHRISTMAS TREE DIARIES

Please click left at the bottom of the post for the previous blogs in this series which give the context for this one.

Prophecy can be about fore-telling the future—telling events before they have happened; it can also be forth-telling—expressing the heart of God in a given situation. In both cases, if something is truly prophetic, it takes a spiritual reality, and by expressing it in words, images or actions, with faith, releases that reality in the physical, material world.
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The coming of Jesus ushered in a new age, a new rule, a new government. The hallmarks of that age were described:

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.
[Luke 4:18,19]
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​It was prophesied that this liberation would extend to the whole earth, and that all creation would rejoice. The Bible gives a graphic prophetic picture of that celebration:

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the Lord, for He comes, He comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His truth
[Psalm 96:12,13].

Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this;
shout aloud, you earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees,
for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, He displays His glory in Israel
[Isaiah 44:23].

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn-bush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed’
​ [Isaiah 55:12,13].
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In these passages, the natural world is depicted as having a powerful and colourful role in the announcement that the age of the Messiah had dawned.
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Our Christmas trees shout festival and celebration, dressed as they are to delight, enchant and indeed attract attention. The origins of the custom are unimportant; we can see our decorated pine-trees as symbolic of those prophesied to be a sign of the coming kingdom. If we invest them with faith and expectation, they can become our personal prophetic declaration; our proclamation to our households, our neighbourhoods and the spiritual powers in heavenly places, that the Messiah has come—bringing His Kingdom with Him—and one day every knee will bow before Him.

THIS WEEK'S GRACE RHYTHM

​In quietness, take time to meditate on the verses in this section. Envision Creation celebrating—and the people of God joining in. Use your God-given imagination…

Jesus states His Messianic role in Luke 4:18,19. Think about Him performing the various aspects of this calling. That ministry was passed on to His followers—to you and me, in fact—so now imagine yourself in that role in your home, street or workplace.
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Turn your heart towards Him and ask Him to speak. Remember to journal what you hear.
Declare: The Messiah has come. Jesus Christ is Lord of all. One day every knee will bow before Him.

A CHRISTMAS TREE PRAYER WALK

​One of the pleasures of the festive season are the Christmas trees gracing the front windows of homes, shop displays, town squares and church buildings. How about undertaking a prayer walk, and blessing some of these?

I lift up all who enjoy this tree…(especially...)

• I bless you with a revelation of the Creator; with the understanding that there are things in this world too wonderful to be dissected by science; with the deep inner knowledge you were born for something special.
• I bless you with the truth that there is a God in Heaven who is sovereign over all, and that true peace is found in right relationship with Him.
• I bless you with the deep understanding that Emmanuel has come, so that you might live in the presence of God.
• I bless you with the revelation that Jesus Christ died on a tree so that you could be released from everything that binds you fast.
• I bless you with the good news that Life is found in Him, and He offers it to you.
• I bless you with the revelation that God is good and has showered your lives with blessing.
• I bless you with light in your darkness, because the Light of the World has come.​

NEXT WEEK: DECORATING THE TREE
A meditative journey...

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[Photo credits: Alexandra (Christmas tree); Nika (tree through window);
​Kelly Sikkema (writing paper) @ Unsplash, with thanks]