August 2006 Newsletter
Keep
me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings….
Psalm 17:8
August 2006 Newsletter
Did you see The Lord of the Rings? Do you remember the Ents, the giant, ancient, talking trees that were in the third movie? When I went to California at the end of June, I went to Yosemite National Park and I felt so small walking in the groves of the majestic giant Sequoia trees. I wondered how they could grow so large and live so long. I found out that they have many natural, God given characteristics that enable them to not only survive, but to thrive for so many centuries. It fascinated me. The trees grow fast and resist death. The extensive root system reaches far for water and the massive trunk stores great volumes of water for times of drought. They are able to withstand threats that kill other trees. In the bark, protective chemicals called tannins give the trees their red color, but also provide resistance to disease, decay, and insects. The thick, air-filled bark also acts as insulation against fire. Fire actually plays an important role in the growth of these magnificent trees – at every stage of their lives.
First, the heat dries out the cones,
which can hang on the trees
for 20 years, and that in turn releases the seeds. Thousands of seeds 
sprout
in the ashy soil, soil that absorbs and holds moisture
and that is loose and crumbly so the roots can take hold. Fires clear
out the underbrush, and the young saplings have a greater
chance to shoot up without the competition of other plants and
trees for sunlight and moisture. These trees even have a protection
against humans – the early explorers of course saw them as
great opportunities for logging, but abandoned that idea when time
after time, the trees shattered when felled, as if they were brittle,
making it very difficult to harvest good logs and boards.
I know this science lesson may seem
like a strange devotional (sorry,
I'm a science teacher's kid!), but it made me think
so much about God's protection and provision for us. Karen's letter
about obedience last month was such a challenge to me. Obedience
is what we are called to, but how can we live such a walk victoriously?
It's not an easy walk. In Ephesians 6: 10-18 we seethat our battles
are not against flesh and blood. But we also see that,
just as the Sequoias are provided armor (bark) for what may come
against them, God provides us with spiritual armor. We know that
He even uses the fires of trials and temptations for us to grow in
maturity, as the Sequoias grow in stature. We have the belt of truth,
the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness
to spread the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet
of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God).
The Sequoias already have their bark, but we are admonished to put our
armor on every day. God provides it – we opt to receive it. We need
to pray on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Whether we are in a dangerous situation in which our lives
may be threatened, or faced with a situation where we are shy about
sharing our faith, or staring temptation squarely in the face, God
protects us. True, we are not protected from the situations, but
we are provided for in the situations. We don't always make it without
scars (nor do the trees), but we can make it through with our
faith and a closer relationship with Him. It's always worth it!
So, obey Him when tempted and run to Him when afraid. He longs for
us to mature and to protect us. Put on your armor and stay in prayer,
connected with Him. As I stood in awe of the trees, let's let
others see the Lord so much in us that they stand in awe of Him.
In Christ's love,
Marie
CALLING
ALL LADIES! (Sorry guys!!!)
Karen would like to host a Girls Night Out at her house on Friday, August 11th
(Rain date - August 25th), at 6 PM, in Lockwood, NY. Bring a lawn chair and
a snack to share around a campfire. Sweet Aroma will provide the hotdogs. In
order to see how many of you ladies would be interested and able to attend,
please call for
directions ([607] 598-8292) by August 8th (or 22nd if you can make the rain
date). We'll come up with some activities and topics to discuss. Bring a flashlight!
:-)
The Lord is my rock, my fortress,
and my deliverer; my God is my
rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
As far as God is concerned
there is a sweet, wholesome
fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us...
2 Corinthians 2:15 TLB