We shall mount up with wings as eagles.....
Isaiah 40:31
Isaiah 40:31
" Praise the Lord for that which He is about to do! "
The Two Trees
Along the highway in Tennessee, there were two trees standing near each other. One of them was a beautiful pine, the other a scrub oak.
When people drove by the trees most everyone mentioned how beautiful the pine was, but hardly noticed the oak.
One day a vine crawled over to the oak tree and was about to start climbing up it, but the oak quickly said to the vine,
---If you touch my trunk I will put out some sap that will stop you from moving any further. So the vine crawled over to a pine tree and the oak said,
---Don't let the vine climb up your trunk, if you do it will choke the life out of you.
The vine said to the pine,
---I only want to climb up and see your beautiful branches. I hear motorist saying how beautiful you are. I can't see from down here. I can climb right back down after I have looked at your beauty.
The oak said,
---Do not listen to the vine, if you do you'll be in big trouble.
The pine replied,
---I don't need your advice, so keep it to yourself.
Then the pine said to the vine that it could climb up and see its beauty, but had to promise to come right back down.
---I can do that, replied the vine and started up the tree.
When the vine got to the first branch, it crawled out to the end of the limb. Then it reached up and caught the one above and went back to the trunk, then caught hold of one on the other side, and crawled out to the end of it.
The pine said to the vine,
---You said you wanted to see the top most branches, don't go out on every branch.
---That is ok, said the vine, I need to see all of your beauty, and it just kept on working its way up to the top. When the vine got to the top, it said,
---You really are beautiful, I am glad you let me come up here. The pine then spoke,
---Now that you are up to the top, you can climb back down. I can't breathe, and you have cut off all the sunlight.
---I think I shall stay up here, said the vine, I like being up high where I can see far away.
---You said you would climb down, said the tree, so go down.
---You heard me wrong, said the vine, I said I could, but I didn't say I would, so I am staying.
---I will die if I get no sunlight, said the pine.
---Even if you die I will still have your body to hold me up. You should have listened to the oak, but I am glad that you didn't.
What hope has the pine; will it ever be beautiful again?
In about a month the pine needles began to turn yellow and the tree felt very bad. Then he thought of the oak and said to it,
---Friend, I now know I should have listened to you, is there anything I can do to get the vine down?
The oak said,
---There is one thing you can do, if you can humble yourself to do it. The pine replied,
---I am dead if I don't, so what is it?
---As you know, said the oak, there is a God in heaven that can do anything he desires to do. If you will ask him to help you, I will ask him also. He says that if any two will ask anything in His name, he will do it.
---I don't know much about God, said the pine. I didn't think I would ever need Him. So you go first and I will follow, but first I want to say to you that I am sorry for what I said to you before. Please forgive me.
---That I will said the oak. Then he began to talk to God.
---Dear God, please forgive me for not being a better witness to my friend, the pine tree, and if you can find it in thy will to do so, please get that vine off his branches. Thank you, in Jesus Name.
The pine then prayed.
---Dear God, I agree with the oak tree and although I don't deserve it, I thank you for helping me.
It was several weeks later and the vine was still there. With a feeble voice, the pine said to the oak,
---It doesn't seem like God heard us.
---God always hears my friend, and He answers in His own time. Be patient, I feel the answer is about here.
About that time a highway truck stopped by. It was lunchtime and the men hoped to eat lunch in the shade of the pine tree. One of them said to the other,
---This vine is choking the life out of this beautiful pine tree. Let's take the ax and chop the vine in half, at the root, and when it is dried we will get permission to pull it down from our friend here. But it will take about a month I figure for its tentacles to relax, and then we'll take care of it.
It was about five weeks before the men showed up again with a large truck. They had a hard time getting the vine down. The vine was stubborn and in the process of pulling on it the pine lost most of its needles, as well as stripping many small branches off.
When they were gone the pine said to the oak,
---I must look terrible? I know I feel terrible.
---My friend, said the oak, life is more important than looks and it is beginning to rain which will help you put on new needles and branches. Let us thank God, he had mercy on us and answered our prayer.
The pine said,
---I have already thanked Him and will continue to thank Him.
What about you? Has anyone ever tried to get you to do something that was wrong? Don't listen to them, but tell them about Jesus and His love.
Elder Carl Stewart
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Written: Sept. 1997
Copyright: 2002
Comments? Email Us: hope@preachersteacher.org
