Years back a friend sent me this picture, She knew I could probably come up with a few thoughts to share.
I’ve seen leaves like this before, holey and destroyed. Beetles would eat the leaves of the trees. The leaves that fell to the ground were so badly eaten that only a shell of veins and stem were left. There was great danger that shade trees which had been growing for years would be destroyed.
When the beetles first came into the area, they were unnoticed or ignored, but they quickly multiplied and their ravenous appetites made them very destructive.
You know sin is like that – at first it’s hidden or even ignored. But if left to its self, it brings destruction. So how do we eradicate it? How do we stop the harmful effects?
“Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. 2 Instead, they love the LORD’s teachings and think about them day and night. 3 So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful.” Psalm 1:1-3 ERV
We protect the tree, our heart, from evil influences and it will grow strong. Jesus referred to us as trees that bear fruit.
“If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. 34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. 35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment. 37 Your words will be used to judge you. What you have said will show whether you are right or whether you are guilty.” Matthew 12:33-37 ERV
When we have our heart filled with good things, we love the Lord’s teachings and we think on them day and night, we will be like a tree whose leaves never fall.
We’ve all been through times when leaves have dropped from our branches that are diseased and full of holes, but GOD has provided the way to health and healing from the bugs that attack us.
“I study your teachings very carefully so that I will not sin against you. 12 Lord, you are worthy of praise! Teach me your laws.” Psalm 119:11-12 ERV
As we stay firmly planted, His life-giving water (the Word) will be our defense against predatory bugs that seek to destroy us!
“Be my Rock, my place of safety. Be my fortress, and protect me! You are my Rock and my protection.” Psalm 71:3 ERV
Praise and worship the Lord who is our defense!