Lessons from a Christmas Tree

We bought a live Christmas tree last year and now it has made itself at home on the front porch.  Unfortunately, it is starting to brown after all these months in a pot…it doesn’t like it, imagine that.  And we laugh. 
But you know a lot of people treat their relationship with Jesus that way.  A tree needs consistent water, daily sunshine, and nutritious soil to sink deep roots so it doesn’t blow over with every storm (which is what happens to our poor neglected tree in the pot).  A Christian needs the water of Word of God, the daily presence of the Lord in prayer, and Biblical teaching and fellowship to build their faith. 
A few of us ignore our Bibles, pray only at mealtimes…when we remember, seek out solid teaching and fellowship only on Sundays (or realistically, maybe just Christmas and Easter) and then walk away.  We act like God’s way doesn’t work – He is not enough. 
My tree is not getting enough but it’s not because there isn’t enough water, sun, and soil.  It is because the poor thing is stuck in a pot and in the pot there isn’t enough.  Sometimes our faith is not getting enough, not because God isn’t enough, but because our faith is stuck in a pot of self-imposed drought, dark and famine. Trees are not designed for pots.  God made them for forests.  Faith is not designed for mediocrity.  God made it for authenticity.
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”  -- 1 Corinthians 16:13

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