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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Wednesday,
November 9, 2022
One
of our two oaks in
our front lawn.
"Fading
Leaves"
Message summary: Am I like an "oak with fading leaves" or like "a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither"?
Listen to
our message on
your audio
player.Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:1-3). "You will be like an oak with fading leaves" (Isaiah 1:30).
We are
blessed with many
trees:
two large oaks
in our front
lawn and several
smaller trees
beside our
driveway.
The flowering
dogwood and
hydrangea trees
bring a lot of
color and
interest in our
backyard. On the
other side of
our fence we
have our
neighbor's huge
silver maple and
alongside our
south lawn we
have a row of
evergreens that
provide a
windbreak and
beautiful views
in the winter
when laced with
snow. (See photo
here)We've
been getting
some aerobic
exercise raking
all the leaves
and scooping
them up with our
hand rakes. I
burn some but we
have filled many
large leaf bags
for disposal. I
can either take
them to a large
pile down the
tractor lane or
they will be
picked up by our
township if I
place them by
the road.
The
weight of an
individual leaf
is barely
discernible but
we fill the bags
and then keep
pressing them
down to pack
them tightly. A
full bag of
leaves has
significant
weight. That
made me muse on
just how much
the leaves
themselves weigh
on a living tree
in the summer.
Of course the
internet has
some answers
although I can't
verify. Frankly
there seems to
be quite a bit
of disparity
partly due to
the many
variables.
According to one
site the leaves
on an oak tree
would be about
450 pounds.
Speaking of trees
and falling
leaves, let us
examine two
portions from
God's Word. The
first from Psalm 1
will be familiar
to many, the
second is a rarely
considered Bible
text in Isaiah
that draws an
illustration from
fading leaves.
The second text is taken from a portion of Isaiah dealing with the rebellious nation of Israel. It's a stunning chapter and includes this warning, "Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him" (Isaiah 1:4). This sounds a lot like the spiritual condition of our nation!
Various
illustrations are
used to describe
Israel's condition including
today's text, "You
will be like an
oak with fading
leaves" (Isaiah
1:30). Now
the meaning in
context is
speaking of the
nation's condition
as the people
rebel against God.
An oak is a splendid tree and is the first specific species of tree mentioned in the Bible, "Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh" (Genesis 12:6).
The second text is taken from a portion of Isaiah dealing with the rebellious nation of Israel. It's a stunning chapter and includes this warning, "Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him" (Isaiah 1:4). This sounds a lot like the spiritual condition of our nation!
Various
illustrations are
used to describe
Israel's condition including
today's text, "You
will be like an
oak with fading
leaves" (Isaiah
1:30). Now
the meaning in
context is
speaking of the
nation's condition
as the people
rebel against God.An oak is a splendid tree and is the first specific species of tree mentioned in the Bible, "Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh" (Genesis 12:6).
There
is the
God-designed
transformation of
trees, when the
leaves fade and
eventually drop to
the ground as part
of the tree's life
cycle. But there
is also an
untimely fading
due to lack of
water which is
what Isaiah seems
to mean when he
writes "as
a garden that
has no water".
Psalm
1:3 describes a
vibrant tree and a
healthy spiritual
life is like "a
tree firmly
planted by
streams of
water, which
yields its fruit
in its season
and its leaf
does not wither".
Today we can consider the text on the national level (wherever we may live) and wonder if our nation is "like an oak with fading leaves". It's an interesting analogy to contemplate as we consider the fading spiritual hunger of our land.
However let us consider this verse on a personal level in an examination of our own relationship with the Lord. Am I like an "oak with fading leaves" or am I like "a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither"?
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Daily
prayer: Father,
I want to be like
a tree firmly
planted by streams
of water, fruitful
in every season of
my life. I don't
want to wither
during the winter
season as I grow
old and more
feeble. Though I
may be more
dormant I can
still hold fast to
the profession of
my faith and not
let it fade over
time. I can do
that by living a
life above
reproach, clinging
to Your promises,
immersing myself
in the Scriptures
and prayer, and
trusting You for
all that concerns
me in every season
of my life. Like a
tree receives
health by drawing
from its water
supply I remain
spiritually
healthy by
drinking from the
springs of living
water. Amen.
Psalm
1:3 describes a
vibrant tree and a
healthy spiritual
life is like "a
tree firmly
planted by
streams of
water, which
yields its fruit
in its season
and its leaf
does not wither".Today we can consider the text on the national level (wherever we may live) and wonder if our nation is "like an oak with fading leaves". It's an interesting analogy to contemplate as we consider the fading spiritual hunger of our land.
However let us consider this verse on a personal level in an examination of our own relationship with the Lord. Am I like an "oak with fading leaves" or am I like "a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither"?
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
I want to be like
a tree firmly
planted by streams
of water, fruitful
in every season of
my life. I don't
want to wither
during the winter
season as I grow
old and more
feeble. Though I
may be more
dormant I can
still hold fast to
the profession of
my faith and not
let it fade over
time. I can do
that by living a
life above
reproach, clinging
to Your promises,
immersing myself
in the Scriptures
and prayer, and
trusting You for
all that concerns
me in every season
of my life. Like a
tree receives
health by drawing
from its water
supply I remain
spiritually
healthy by
drinking from the
springs of living
water. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
How
pretty an
individual
fall is with
so many shades
of green,
yellow, gold
and crimson!
Ester has been helping with the leaves and is actually buried in this pile. As you can see in the background other neighbors were raking as well.
Ester snapped this photo of yesterday's Lunar eclipse
This tractor is on an Amish farm we passed yesterday on Harvest Road. It looks but after looking it up we learned this tractor (an International Harvester 1566) was manufactured the year we got married in 1976! Aging in vehicles reminds us of the aging process we all go through! Rust that spreads on a vehicle might be like arthritis that spreads to our joints.
Right after Ester took a photo of the moon she spotted these deer through our upstairs window. You need binoculars but it's always exciting to spot a deer or two no matter the size.
This
morning I
(Brooksyne)
stopped in at
the Amish
school house
just up the
road from us.
The children
were just
being called
in from
recess. After
they were
seated (26
students
grades 1-8) I
greeted each
student at
their desk as
I presented
them a batch
of caramel
cookies. Each
took a cookie
along with a
fall themed
napkin and put
it on the
corner of
their desk to
enjoy a snack
at lunch or
early
afternoon. I
know quite a
few of them as
our neighbors
and it's so
sweet to see
their big
smiles as they
recognize me.
I think each
one of the
children said
thank you upon
receiving the
cookie. And
since their
name is
visible on
their desktop
I could greet
them all by
name. The
photo above
shows the
front of the
school and
where the
children wash
their hands.
If the
children were
not in the
classroom I
could have
taken photos
of all the
colorful
decorations as
Naomi their
teacher
permits me to
do so. With
the large
number of
students this
year she has
an aid to help
her. I wish
everyone had
the
opportunity to
visit an Amish
school and see
the order,
respect and
learning the
three R's
(reading,
'riting, and
'rithmetic)
that takes
place - 8
grades in one
classroom.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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