My mother, grandmother and I sat and stared out the window at the trees swaying in the breeze. My mother said she had heard someone say that the trees are singing and praising God with outstretched arms. I knew I had heard this somewhere before and found it:
"You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!" Isaiah 55:11
In reading this one verse I read the whole chapter: Isaiah 55 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."God's blesses those who seek Him. If we allow God to reign in our lives we will have peace and comfort in troubled times because we know that God is in control. We do not always understand God's plans because they are His plans not ours. We ask for His help when we are weary. Do we spend time with God allowing Him to comfort us or do we get so caught up in our worries that we forget that God is in control? God wants us to live a life of joy and peace, a life free from worry. When we are sad we need to look for God in the situation and He will give us rest. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
As I finish my thoughts I want to share one more verse, Philippians 4:6-9. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Right now I know there are many struggling with jobs, money, illness, loss, etc. With all that is wrong in the world and in our own lives if we do not know Christ then life could be very depressing. For my friends who have not found the awesome peace that God has for you, I pray that you seek it. For my friends and family who know of the peace but sometimes forget that God is there for you, I pray that you seek Him in everything you do. For my family dealing with the illness of our loved ones, I pray everyday for God to give comfort.
Family and Friends I love you! May you all find the joy and peace that God has for you. May you rise up and sing like the mountains and clap your hands like the trees, praising God for all that He is and all that He has promised.
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