Love Tied to a Tree

Love Tied to a Tree

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10).

I would have missed it if had done what I had wanted to do.

What I wanted to do was to sleep. What I did, instead, was to put on my running shoes and head outdoors for a little bit of routine and a whole lot of boring. As I was lacing up my shoes, I told the Lord that this was a choice of my will…not of my “want to.” He was going to have to push me out the door and get my feet to moving. After all, my flesh is weak and usually defaults to my wants. He agreed with my assessment. So he pushed, and before long, my “want to” caught up with my will as I found my stride along the path of my usual.

The weather was cool and crisp, reminding me that winter’s end has not yet come. The sun’s brilliancy reminded me that a spring’s blossom is just around the bend. With ipod blaring and the pavement beneath my feet, I quickly found my rhythm, believing that the benefits of such an obedience would outweigh the boring.

Benefits that include…

Better health.
Better mind.
Better spirit.

God has always used my time outdoors to accomplish this three-fold blessing. The mingling of flesh with my mind and spirit encompasses the full package. It is therapy of the cheapest, yet sometimes, most profound kind. I allow God to teach me in these moments. I open up my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my mind to conceive the possibilities of all that he wants to reveal.

Today was no different. As I rounded the corner of mile one, my vision was captured by a scene that I shall not soon forget. Caught in the brambles of barren tree branches and contrasted against the brilliancy of the blue sky, was a shimmering red bundle of something. The height of that something made its identification difficult, but as I drew closer, my suspicions were confirmed.

That bundle of “something” was in fact a bouquet of balloons. Valentine’s balloons. Somebody’s “something” had blown away in the night amidst the winds of a tempestuous storm. Somebody’s expression of love had left its intended home to now find its home amongst the tangled branches of a wintering tree. Somebody’s surprise traversed the landscape to now become my surprise, and I could not escape the sacred possibilities of such a revelation.

Love, in the form of a Valentine, made its way to this tree to teach me. Love tied itself to this tree to give me a blessing…a “Happy Valentine’s Day” blessing. Love, battered by the winds of change, tangled itself smack dab in the middle of this tree whose grip was tight and who kept it there long enough for me to notice. Long enough for me to receive the benefits of such an engagement—better health…better mind…better spirit.

For the next two miles, my mind was transfixed on this modern day parable that had painted itself across my winter sky. The profundity of such a moment is not lost on me.

Two thousand years ago, Love, in the form of a Son, made his way to a tree. Love tied himself to a tree to bring me a “Happy Valentine’s Day” blessing. It was a message that he scripted with the blood of his very own hands. Love, battered by the winds of the tempestuous storm that began from the very beginning, drove him to a purposeful tangling amidst thorns and brambles whose grip was tight and who kept him there long enough…long enough…simply long enough to finish love’s completing work.

God’s bouquet of Love chose his confinement upon a tree. He traversed the soil of humanity for this one purpose…this one moment of lingering internment upon a cross where his “want to” and his flesh caught up with the will of his Father. God’s “something”…God’s Someone…left his intended home with the sacred intention of becoming the world’s Valentine. The world’s Surprise. The world’s Revelation.

He hung upon the tree of winter…a Calvary tree…knowing that a spring’s blossom awaited his full surrender. The air was crisp and cool, and yet the brilliancy of the Son reminded the world…reminds the world…that death precedes the birth of a bloom. That beneath the branches that boast emptiness, lie the buds which are readying themselves for a bursting forth that can only be described as miraculous.

A resurrection!

An Easter morning!

Better health. Better mind. Better spirit. Indeed, I would have missed it if had done what I had wanted to do. But I would have missed everything. I would have missed Grace. I would have missed Love. I would have missed Jesus.

I cannot consider such loss, for Jesus is all the world to me. I cannot go back and pretend that I do not know the Truth because long ago, Truth was revealed in my heart, and I have kept to his path ever since. I cannot imagine not understanding and believing the impact of a Calvary Love, but there are days when I am prone to forget. Days when I need to break from the confines of my “want to”, lace up my shoes, and push my flesh to a point of remembrance.

God is always faithful to reveal himself to me when I choose such an obedience. Today, he revealed himself through a bouquet of love that was tied to a tree. Tomorrow holds a revelation all its own. I can hardly wait to get there. Until then, I will bask in the shadow of the blessing that hangs in surrender upon a tree in my neighborhood. It is a blessing that says “Happy Valentine’s Day!” This day and every day.

See Him. Hear Him, and conceive the possibilities of such a gracious grace. What wondrous love is this! It is a love I want, and so I pray…

Father, you are everything to me. I cannot imagine my life without you. You breathed your love over my life as you tied your Love to a tree at Calvary. No greater love have I ever known. It is a wondrous, undeserving, and lavish love that cannot be measured with words, with music, or with pictures. It can only be adequately known and expressed within the deep recesses of my being. You are there God, for your Spirit lives within. Hear now my expression of love as it encompasses my frame and brings me to my knees in full surrender. You, alone, are worthy of such devotion. I receive your Valentine…you Son Jesus as the Love of my life. I return my love back to you. Where it is not perfect, perfect it, Lord. Where it is flesh, replace it with faith. Better health…better mind…better spirit. That is what I want, so I pray for eyes and ears and a mind to receive the fullness of such a gift. I stand ready to receive. Amen.

peace for the journey~elaine

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10 Responses to Love Tied to a Tree

  1. “Where it is not perfect, perfect it, Lord. Where it is flesh, replace it with faith.”

    Well said, siesta! AMEN! 🙂

    *loved the entry – dropped by when I saw your invite at LPM blog*

  2. Carri:
    Thanks for stopping by. Love…love the christening gowns! Wish I had known about you when my little girl was baptized. If anyone is in the market, check out Carri’s work at

    crochetchristening.com

    peace~elaine

  3. Hi Elaine,

    I found your blog while visiting the LPM site.

    This entry was so beautiful! Thanks for the reminder of the wonderful, often unexpected ways Jesus is willing to reveal Himself to us.

    You are a great writer!

    Blessings to you,
    Susan

  4. Lovely, just lovely! I dropped by when I saw the invite over at LPM.
    I look forward to dropping by often!
    I loved your post because last week as I was celebrating Valentine’s Day around the kitchen table of friends as we studied God’s Word in our small group – I was contemplating the Greatest Valentine Gift of All – Jesus. I love your modern day parable. I hope it’s OK if I send a link of your blog along to my friends to read your words so inspired by our true love Jesus Christ.
    Bless you Siesta!

  5. Kristen & Susan:
    Thanks for stopping by the blog. It is at its “genesis”…hampered by my limited capacity for technology! I love fresh and new beginnings…perhaps because I have known so many of them over the course of my life. God is always about our “new.” I just pray for the eyes and heart to perceive it when he sends it along.

    Feel free to share the blog with friends. My Bible study group is currently working through Beth’s “Stepping Up” study. I will be posting a weekly challenge to them regarding the study. Feel free to join in.

    May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify us all, through and through and keep us blameless until the day of his coming. He who calls us is faithful to do it.

    peace~elaine

  6. What a sweet SWEET post!! I found you through the LPM blog and needed to check this one out! I’m glad I did!!

  7. Elaine – I too am new at blogging and have to admit I am not as faithful about posting on my own as I am visiting others!

    I am doing Beth Moore’s study on the book of Daniel – whew – it’s wonderful!

  8. Hi, I’m so glad you stopped by my blog to say hello and I wanted to come visit you! I have to tell you a couple of things. First of all, this post was absolutely amazing!!! I know the feeling of not wanting to exercise some days and how glad I am when I am finished. I love the story you shared!!! It’s extra special to me because Valentine’s Day is my birthday! I will think about this post the next time I go for a run or walk outside. It’s cold here in Michigan and I look forward to going outside again. You are such a great writer!!

    I also wanted to share something about the teeth bleaching process. You are probably doing it at home via syringes in trays. You do not have to do it everyday. You can skip a day and still get good results. I had to do it that way because I have some recession where my roots are exposed. I got a little greedy with the bleach because I didn’t want to miss the gumline and have darker near the gums. They became VERY sensitive to cold and air. It’s okay to skip a day or two in between. If there is still severe sensitivity you could go in to the dental office and get a fluoride treatment because fluoride is a desensitizer. So… hope this helps. Feel free to e-mail me with any other questions!

    Glad to have met you!
    Love,
    Angie xoxo

  9. Elaine, The first comment I saw on Beth Moore’s blog this morning was yours. How fun! I really love this new Bible study, and I’m so glad you take the time to lead us on this journey. Thanks for allowing me to come. See you Tuesday.
    Love your blog.
    Melissa Sugg

  10. “God’s bouquet of Love chose his confinement upon a tree.”

    His love lavished freely on me – what a gift. Thanks for reminding me of the bouquet of His love,
    Joy

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