There is a small piece of notepaper on my kitchen counter, on which is written a couple of “to-do” items.
As I was walking through the kitchen past the “to-do” list, my attention was caught by … “Tie up broken tree.”
Immediately the verse popped into my mind: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3
Back in December I shared on the blog about a small Norwegian Spruce which we had enjoyed as our “Christmas tree” a few years back. After this small Norwegian Spruce had enjoyed the Christmas festivities inside, we planted it out in the forest.
The spot we chose was very deliberate … a spot which once used to be a roadway, but which we are in the process of turning back into forest.
The former owners of the property had cut a roadway back into the forest, in order to have vehicle access to the back of the workshop.
The thing is, the forested part of our property falls under the designation of “Open Space” … which means it is supposed to be left alone and protected as natural forest.
Therefore, hubby and I have been working to re-plant the former roadway with lots of new baby trees. As part of this reforestation effort, the little Norwegian Spruce “Christmas tree” was planted in a key location … right at the entrance to where the former road-through-the-woods used to be.
The little Norwegian Spruce has grown beautifully the past few years. I have delighted over it! It has been doing exactly what it was meant to do … changing the entire landscape face, so that there is no longer a road heading back into the forest.
However … just because hubby and I are re-foresting (and “getting rid of”) the road back through the forest, does not mean the animals are of the same mind.
The road back through the forest has for years been a major animal thoroughfare … for the bear, for the bobcat, for the coyotes, for the many different roaming deer, etc. To them, the roadway is still there.
And the little Norwegian Spruce … well, it’s right in the middle of the “roadway.”
As the many different animals have traversed their forest thoroughfare, the little Norwegian Spruce (happily minding its own business and growing healthily) wound up becoming some animal’s scratching post, during a “rest stop.”
Sadness!!
You can see the broken little Norwegian Spruce in our background photo for today. The entire top half of the tree has been broken, and bent completely over.
The top half isn’t dead though … it is barely hanging on, just barely surviving … still loaded with tons of brand new buds, of brand new growth for this coming Spring.
I can’t help but think there are a lot of us who probably feel just like this little Norwegian Spruce tree.
We are happily minding our own business, doing what God has called us to do, in the place where God has “planted” us … and then … someone comes along and decides that we would make a good “scratching post.”
And so, we find ourselves broken! … our life still loaded with all the wonderful things we were in the process of doing for God.
Yet … we’re bent completely over … just hanging on … barely surviving.
As I look at the poor little Norwegian Spruce it makes me so sad … because this is exactly what life feels like.
And yet … even in our brokenness, we are right where God wants us. He has specifically planted us here. Right here. On purpose. He deliberately planted us where we are.
I have a nice sturdy green stake and some stretchy green tie which I will be using to tie up the broken little tree.
This is what God does with us. God ties us up. God binds up our hurts. God gives us support, so that we can keep growing tall for Him.
God Himself is our support post. God holds us up.
God Himself is the stretchy green tie … hanging onto us. Holding us close.
God “planted” us here for a reason. God will take care of us!
