To serve, love and encourage others, merely resembles going deeper and deeper into the love and ways of our heavenly Father.
As I sat at my kitchen table in my Fathers’ presence, I heard Him say “Live in your Identity.” Within my heart I responded, Father? Again, He firmly with the tenderness of my creator’s heart, repeated Himself to me- “live in your identity”.
Then suddenly before me He unveiled a vision of a forest, of trees of great magnitude closely growing together. With their branches touching, intertwined with each other. There were no leaves on the trees and their roots were firmly planted within the soil’s foundation. They had thick trunks with field grass caressing their rooted veins. At a sense of my Fathers’ nudging to look deeper within the trees structure, I quickly recognized glimpses of “erosion” within the bark. Evidence that was caused by aged maturity and experience.
Looking upward, the trees appeared to reach high into the heavenly realms of my Father’s Kingdom. I found that no matter how hard I squinted my eyes searching, the tops of the trees could not be seen. The more I focused on this tightly intimate group of trees, I acknowledged that I could not see past, deep within the first row of their staggered structure. I could see each tree standing with such great purpose and position, but my sight was limited in between the shadows. For each time I tried, yet there was another tree, defined perfectly.
The colour of the trees, I found extremely intriguing. The ones in the front were staggered, yet closely knit, grayish in tone like molten silver, marked with impressions of victories from battles won. Whereas, the multiple staggered rows behind them, were completely the opposite. They were tall with their roots upon the earths’ foundation, yet not sunken in as deeply or as wide as the trees in the front. They too were lightly gray toned, with coloured splashes of oranges, yellows and reds shadowing their sides. Some were almost to brilliant to view as this glorious filtration of intense coloured lights continually brushed the trees trunks here and there.
Then there were younger, smaller trees, not quite matured that pressed closer to the ones that were illuminated. Again, they too were similar in colour yet, they were lightly sprinkled with wisps of the colours brilliance. The beauty of the trees mesmerized my vision, for I knew such beauty could only be created by the fingerprints of God.
Remaining still within the vision, in the presence of my Father, I realized that although what the Lord was showing me, appeared to present disorder, such as the staggering of the trees, was God’s perfect order. That the specific order, size, position and purpose, the shadowing and the brilliance of His glory, not only is a representation of each member of the family of Christ, it is a representation of the church family unit.
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” Zechariah 4:10 NLT
God, through His creation is revealing that even though the forest (us, His children) appear different visually, there is a necessity for that unity of community, of oneness to be present-no matter what seems to be evident in the natural. For this oneness, not only presents spiritual strength, it is a place of spiritual hiddenness, a protective covering for those newly, walking in the spirit with Christ Jesus. Needing to be nurture, instructed, and loved into their identity with the Father. To be encouraged and supported within their spiritual growing. Thus, the reasoning for the bigger, more grandiose trees to be in the front. They have matured in their walk with our heavenly Father and know their identity. They have fought numerous spiritual battles and humbly display their wounds. They are the spiritual Mothers and Fathers within the family of Christ assigned to bring others to know His glory, His mercy and His great love.
Each one of us is to live in the identity our heavenly Father has given us. Not the identity of another. As we spiritually grow and mature under the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father, our spiritual Mothers and Fathers-within the family of Christ, let us ever be mindful that we too were at one time like the young trees. Seeking and searching, to knowing how to grow in Christs’ love and become that to which he has called us. That we too, needed the strength of others to lean on while we grew. Enabling our foundation to become stronger, grounded in the heart of Christ.
That today, whether we are tall and marked by a lengthy journey with Christ or whether we are a young tree needing the strength, and guidance from within the family of Christ, each one of us needs that identity, that assurance of belonging within Christs’ family.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
Cynthia
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