Many times, I have been requested by people to pray for
their spiritual walk with the Lord. One day, as I was having a morning walk
and was asking the Lord what to preach for that week, I heard the word ‘trees’.
And as I was walking home, revelation started to flow and it was then that I had
a better understanding of the ‘trees’ He was telling me.
There are 2 specific trees from the Bible that I want
to mention here. But first, let us learn the meaning of ‘tree’ in Hebrew:
Êts = ‘tree’ (from the firmness of its
trunk), is from the root word âtsâh
meaning ‘to fasten, to make firm’, which is also the root word for âtseh = ‘the spine, backbone’
(giving firmness to the body).
Terebinth Tree
The first tree is a terebinth tree. Who does this tree
remind you of? Abraham!
Genesis 12:6-7
Abram passed through
the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And
the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said,
“To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to
the Lord, who had appeared to him.
After Abraham encountered the Lord at the terebinth tree of
Moreh, he built an altar there. Why? It was to remind himself that this was the
place he experienced the Lord, received God’s guidance and God’s promises. You
see, Canaan was a place of demonic worship those days, and it was also a place
full of oppression. But Abraham knew the Lord had called him there for a
purpose. Thus, he set up an altar at the terebinth tree as an act of worship, surrendering
himself to God’s will for his life there. And for his faith, God did prosper
him in that land!
People of God, are you currently living in an ‘oppressive land’
too? Yet you know God was the One who has led you there (in that specific workplace
or ministry), and for a purpose. Like Abraham, would you also surrender your
will to God’s will, and allow Him to prosper you in that ‘land’ as well?
Genesis 13:2-4
Abram was very rich
in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the
South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning,
between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at
first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
The terebinth tree became a ‘sign’ and a reminder of God’s
covenant with Abraham. When he became prosperous, he went back to the same terebinth
tree where he had set up an altar (in Moreh), and he worshipped (and gave
thanks) there. And it was not surprising that when he pitched his tent in Mamre
later on, he pitched it near terebinth trees! That was also the place he met the
Lord and he was told by the three angels of God that he would be having the son
of promise/covenant (see Genesis 18:1-2).
In my life, my first ‘terebinth tree’ is a ‘longan’ fruit
tree in the garden outside my parents’ house, with a stone table and stool
under the tree. That was also the place where I accepted Christ and experienced
the love of God for the first time. Besides enjoying the fruits every year,
this tree has also always reminded me of my first experience with God. My
second ‘terebinth tree’ is my old bedroom in my parent’s house. During my
teenage years, I spent a lot of time praying in the spirit and meditating on
God’s Word in that very room. Many of the crucial guidance and instructions of
the Lord for my life were received there. My other ‘terebinth tree’ is my
guitar. I may not be as skilful as some others in playing the guitar, but I
know every time I pick up the guitar and start singing in the spirit, prophetic
revelation will also start to flow! So, if you have any musical instrument that
you can play, start playing it and worship God with it! And it doesn’t matter
what other people may say about your playing skills. As long as you know it
helps you enter the presence of God, you can make it your ‘terebinth tree’ and
build your ‘altar’ there too. Remind yourself of your ‘terebinth tree’ often,
and if it is portable, you may even want to bring it wherever you travel to!
Do you have your ‘terebinth tree’ where you first
experienced the Lord? Always remind yourself of such experience, like Abraham
did. That will be the first ‘strong backbone’ for your walk with the Lord.
Sycamore Tree
Another important tree is a sycamore tree. Who does it remind you of? That’s right, Zacchaeus!
Luke 19:1-10
Then Jesus entered and
passed through Jericho. Now behold,
there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he
was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to
see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place,
He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come
down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and
received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He
has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” Then Zacchaeus stood and
said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I
have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is
a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which
was lost.”
To the people those days, Zacchaeus was a ‘crook’, a traitor
(who collaborated with the Roman occupiers), and a terrible sinner! In short,
he was hated! But Zacchaeus wanted to see the Savior so much that he didn’t
mind climbing up the sycamore tree. I can imagine some children were already up
the tree, sticking out their tongues to this unwelcomed intruder! When Jesus came
to that place, He looked up the tree and knew Zacchaeus was ready for Him.
Jesus then ‘invited Himself’ to eat and stay at Zacchaeus’ house. That very encounter
with Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ life, and he promised Jesus that he would rectify
all the wrongs that he had committed!
You see, it is the goodness of God that leads one into
repentance (see Romans 2:4). If you think you have not been ‘good’ or holy
enough to face Him and spend personal time with Him, remember Zacchaeus and the
sycamore tree! God’s mercy is very rich for you today. Don’t hide from Him
anymore, but instead look to Him. He knows exactly where you are and what you
need at the moment, and He is now here waiting to spend that intimate time with
you as well, like He did with Zacchaeus!
My prayer is that many of you will also be willing to avail
yourselves to be the ‘sycamore trees’ to the ‘Zacchaeus’ of today, and to those
who are yet to be saved, so that they too can ‘climb’ on the tree to ‘see’
Jesus.
And always remember and remind yourselves that Jesus Himself
had died for you on a ‘tree’ – the cross (see Galatians 3:13). Hence, you can always
come to Him and see all your sins (and curse) hung on that tree.
If you have not accepted Jesus into your life, don’t be
afraid and don’t be shy. Be like Zacchaeus! He wasn’t bothered at all by the
perspective of people about him, or what people say against him. What he wanted
most was to see the Savior! Jesus saw his heart, and He chose to go into his
house. If you open your heart to Him, He can come into your life too.
Conclusion
Once you understand the revelation behind these trees in the
Bible, your walk with the Lord will be firm no matter what challenges or
circumstances might arise in your life.
Your understanding of these trees in your life will be the ‘spine’
and the ‘backbone’ of your walk with God.
No matter how far you think God is from you, as long as your
heart still welcomes Him, He will never move away. He is always here for you.
It only takes you to climb the ‘sycamore tree’ and to go to where the ‘terebinth
tree’ is. Amen.