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A few years ago we answered an ad for a free magnolia tree. We received by post a cardboard box about 2ft long or thereabouts; inside this was a dry stick with an excuse for a root at one end. We duly planted it in a pot and eventually it began to grow and we had leaves for two or three years. But this year it has produced 20 white flowers, though heavy rain these last couple of days has not helped it. I could not help remembering Aaron’s rod that budded, and also Ezekiel 17:24, where we are told that the Lord ‘made the dry tree flourish’ (though I had to look the latter up in a concordance). Spring reminds us of the way God is able to renew the face of the earth and this leads us to consider what he is able to do for the churches. There may be churches where everything seems pretty dry and some ministers appear to be dry old sticks, but the Lord can make them flourish and fruitful.
Friday 1 April 2011
A dry stick blooms
A few years ago we answered an ad for a free magnolia tree. We received by post a cardboard box about 2ft long or thereabouts; inside this was a dry stick with an excuse for a root at one end. We duly planted it in a pot and eventually it began to grow and we had leaves for two or three years. But this year it has produced 20 white flowers, though heavy rain these last couple of days has not helped it. I could not help remembering Aaron’s rod that budded, and also Ezekiel 17:24, where we are told that the Lord ‘made the dry tree flourish’ (though I had to look the latter up in a concordance). Spring reminds us of the way God is able to renew the face of the earth and this leads us to consider what he is able to do for the churches. There may be churches where everything seems pretty dry and some ministers appear to be dry old sticks, but the Lord can make them flourish and fruitful.
