Ash trees are found all over the world. A prevalent use of this flowering woody plant is in Major League Baseball. It’s where we get our baseball bats.
There are over fifty species of Ash tree, most fairly large, and the majority drop their leaves each winter. Leaf shapes range from a single blade to compound leaves with three to seven leaflets, with either smooth or toothed edges.
It’s the Ash seed we want to talk about today.
Trees require sunlight, water, and nutrients. If a seed drops on the ground directly underneath the parent plant, it will be deprived of sunlight, and the newly germinated seed won’t grow to adulthood. The seed needs a space of its own to develop into its full potential.
To overcome this potential calamity, the Ash seed is built like a little helicopter, with blades that catch the wind and send the tiny craft spiraling into the sky to finally land far from its parent plant, hopefully with access to all the sunlight, water, and nutrients it needs.
We need to be like the seeds of the Ash tree, ready to be lifted up in Jesus so that we may do the work of the Father.
Matthew 24:30 says our day in the sun is nearly here:
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells us we will soon fly with the wind of Christ’s coming:
“Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
Revelation 1:7 says there is no place he cannot plant us:
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”
Acts 2:38 assures us we will be rooted and grow in him:
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ ”
Mark 14:62 reveals Christ as our source, our sunlight, our water, and our supply of spiritual nutrients:
“And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’ ”
The Ash seed appears small and frail when it hangs from the branch. However, let it get caught up in the wind, and it spreads across the world, into every nation, providing shade and respite for all people.
It makes pretty good baseball bats, too.
Get caught up in God, and there’s no telling where we’ll wind up; but we will be useful to everyone we come in contact with.
Copyright © 2016 MyChurchNotes.net
Code: FGO.B.25.16.vp.esv