Every Thing

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

As Creator, Jesus made every thing with a purpose and for a purpose.  Nothing is ever wasted, and there is nothing He cannot use to further His Kingdom.  Scripture is full of examples that God has used for His Divine purpose, from people, places, animals, weather, rocks, and yes, even trees.  

We all have heard the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19.  Children in our Sunday School classes sing about the 'wee little man who climbed up in a sycamore tree to see what he could see.'  A tax collector, a cheater, a man who was small in stature, desperately climbed a tree to see the Saviour walk by.  Little did he know, that Jesus would be calling him out by name...personally, to dine with him in his home!

I recently read a devotion by Heidi Gaul about what spoke to her heart during this encounter in Scripture.  Heidi writes this, "It's not Jesus or Zacchaeus that captures my attention-it's the tree.  God had planted it years earlier for that specific purpose: to grow until one day a short man in need of salvation would climb it to see His Son."  She went on to say, "It's time to recognize the 'trees' in my life-the people and things Jesus has planted in the path of my salvation, and it's time for me to be a 'tree.'  Who can I help see the Saviour?"

I love that!

Think about it for a minute and let it really sink in:  Our Creator God planted, nourished and  grew a tree in that specific spot, in order to give this cheating tax collector a view of Jesus, Who already knew the exact place and time He would be standing, in order to meet the need of a lost Soul.  How very much like our loving Saviour, to meet our needs at the exact moment we need them!

I'm reminded of another tree-the tree our Creator planted that would grow into the very tree used to hang His Son on the Cross, to die in my place, for my sins.

There is a purpose for every thing.

Nothing is wasted-

I want to be a tree!  But that's just me!

Heidi Gaul is a Christian Author who writes devotionals for Guideposts and many Chicken Soup for the Soul.  The above quotes are from Mornings With Jesus 2021, Saturday, January 30th, Page 30.

You can connect with her at www.HeidiGaul.com and Facebook.com/HeidiGaulAuthor.