Last week, Ron and I traveled to South Florida with my son and his family. While there, we enjoyed a fan boat tour of the Everglades. Our young, humorous tour guide expertly navigated the four of us through sparkling waters amongst grassy paths.
Indeed, the most powerful evidence of a Supreme Being is demonstrated through the wonders of creation. Through creation, God inherently screams, “I am the God of heaven and earth who made all of this for you, so you will believe in me and know that I love you!”
Paul expressed this same concept to the people of Athens, who worshipped many manufactured gods. He reasoned with them by saying, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25 NIV)
I will never understand how someone, especially in this day and time, who pays attention to the intricacies of nature could not believe in God or ever become ambivalent toward Him. Take, for instance, the Bromeliads we encountered in the Everglades. They looked like pineapples perched high in the tall trees. As air plants, they collect nourishment through their leaves directly from the air. They use their spindly roots to attach themselves to treetops to receive needed light. As though being thankful for the support they receive, they give back to their ecosystem by becoming a water source for other animals when drought conditions become extreme.
The tree, however, merely does what trees do best; it stands tall, firm, and steady. It doesn’t wander away or use one of its branches to whisk away the pesky little Bromeliad. Instead, it provides a place for the plant to land, attach, and grow safely.
I’ve tried to be the “tree” in various relationships, but I’ve learned I was not made to be the tree. I can’t be that consistent. Only one Tree ALWAYS stands tall, firm, and steady. Only one Tree NEVER wanders away or whisks others away with its branches. Jesus is the tree that is ALWAYS healthy enough to provide a secure place to land, attach, and grow safely.
No, I can’t be the tree, but I can be the Bromeliad! By attaching myself to Jesus, I can bask in the light of His presence. When the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit blows on me, I can breathe in all that I need to survive and thrive. Staying attached to Jesus fills me to the brim so that when the drought comes, I have an overflow of living water to share with those dying of thirst.
As we grow, we all have moments that allow us to look like Jesus in the eyes of others. Yet, while becoming more and more like Him is our goal, we were never meant to be the One that others attach themselves to. We can do wonderful things through His extraordinary power, but our primary mission is to point others to Jesus, the Tree of Life, and help them attach to Him.
Lord, lead us through the unknown grassy paths. Help us let go and float on the breeze of Your Spirit so we can firmly attach to You and become succulent Bromeliads that benefit others! Remind us not to merely love people with our words while our hearts are far from them. Whisper to us daily, “I am the God of heaven and earth who made all of this for you, so you will believe in me and know that I love you!”
“From one man [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:26-28a NIV)
