Oak of Righteousness

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and it is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.  Jeremiah 17:7-8

This morning I watched the tree outside my window, blowing in the wind.  It is one of my favorite things to do…watching trees and leaves blow.  Calmly it bent, shifting around with the gentle breeze.  So peaceful.  I remembered the verse above and jumped up to read it. 

Trusting in the Lord is the key to sending roots down deep.  Trusting in the Lord is the key to overcoming fear.  Trusting in the Lord can make you anxious for nothing. 

Then I thought about Isaiah 61, a favorite of mine…

..that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.  Isaiah 61:3b

When I think of OAK of righteousness I think of the large Oak trees in the valley that have been growing for years and are rooted deep and large swings hang from them and large leaves fall off of them.  They have done their time and the sturdiness and majesty of them are the proof. 

I am a little oak of righteousness.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…to comfort all who mourn, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. THEY WILL BE CALLED OAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, A PLANTING OF THE LORD FOR THE DISPLAY OF HIS SPLENDOR.’”

Broken hearted bound up…Check

Freedom from captivity…Check

Comforted…check

Crown of beauty in place of ashes…check

Joy instead of mourning…check

Praise instead of despair…check

YEP, been there done that…or shall I say Jesus was there and did it all….and that means I am called and Oak of Righteousness and that the Lord has planted me for the display of His splendor that He may be glorified.  Part of something pretty amazing, this life of God that I’ve been planted in.  I see it every day in most all things I do and don’t do.  I experience it in my very being and know that I work for the King and He calls me His own. 

As the wind blows the tree, I see the splendor, I see the Glory.  I saw it when my tree of life was blowing and I see it in the tree outside my window.  I see it in your life too.  I see the winds blow and I see you stand and I see you check of the list above and I know He has met you where you needed to be met and you my friend are and Oak of Righteousness!

Stand Tall.