When I first married my wife, my in-laws had a magical acre of tree covered Michigan greenery that felt quite unusual to a plains raised boy. The trees seemed to be all sorts of varieties and I'm told that it was even more so when my wife was a kid. Over the years quite a few have fallen in wind storms or simply died of old age. A recent conversation recollected of the time when trees were more abundant, and my mind wandered off to think about a healthy forest. Many trees take years to grow and as they do they are always faced with the harsh reality that their days are numbered. If new young trees aren't allowed the opportunity to sink their roots then the demise of the forest is imminent.
God's church, is a forest amongst the world. It offers an anchor to the soil to prevent erosion. It offers refreshing shade to the harsh heat of the sun. It offers an abundance of resources to share with those in need. All the while it faces the risk of creating walls around its beauty. When the forest that is God's church forgets it's purpose, it takes a step away from the gardener that tends it and causes it to grow. Before too long it's only good purpose might be firewood.
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