Journey with me through the childhood story "The Giving Tree". This is a story of a young boy that became friends with an apple tree. The apple tree loved the boy's company and the boy being young and carefree, also loved the tree's company. Because he was a child, it didn't require much to make him happy. He was overjoyed by simply climbing the tree, swinging on its branches, basking in its shade, and eating its apples. Just spending time together made both the tree and the little boy very happy.
As time progressed the boy was no longer content with just spending time with the tree. He explained to the tree that he is no longer a young boy and being older he now needed money to buy things, so the tree, wanting to make him happy, offered up its apples. "Go sell my apples to make the money you need"; so, the boy took the apples and sold them for money. Later, the boy returned to the tree and the tree was excited to see him, but the boy didn't want to spend time with the tree, he came because he was now older and didn't have idle time to spend with the tree, he now needed a house to keep him warm. The tree offered up his branches saying, "Cut down my branches and build you a house" and the boy did what he suggested and was happy. After years had passed, the boy returned to the tree and yet again did not have time to spend with the tree but explained that he now wanted a boat to sail far away. The tree once again wanting to make the boy happy offered his trunk saying, "Come cut down my trunk and make the boat you need to sail far away", the boy did what the tree suggested and again was happy. When the boy was old in age, he again returned to the tree just to find that the tree was no longer a tree, but a stump. The tree was happy to see the boy return but sadly said "I have no more apples to offer you to eat, I have no branches for you to swing from or to offer shade and I have no trunk for you to climb, all I have is this stump.".
This story made me think about our relationship with God. As babes in Christ, we simply desire and enjoy His presence. We didn't want anything but more of Him, to love on Him, to bask in His presence and His glory and to become more like Him. However, as we get older, or as we say in Charleston, when we get grown, we at times begin to focus on more than just His presence. Our prayer lives shift from wanting more of Him to just wanting MORE. Often, we're so focused on what He can do for us that we neglect to ask what we can do for Him. Our grown minds sometimes shift from praying to God, to preying on God. Have you ever been there or are you there right now?
Matthew 18:3-4 says..."And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.".
This scripture reveals the heart of God as it relates to His children. He desires that we humble ourselves and become as children. Why? Because children trust their fathers, children desire and need their father, children believe in their father, enjoy their father and obey their father. Just as we saw in the story of "The Giving Tree", as a child, the boy was loving, appreciative, and made happy just by spending time with the tree. It wasn't until he became grown that he saw no use for the tree except for what the tree could give him. Let's take a moment to look inward and speak to the child in you and command that they come forth. Enjoy God your Father again! Earnestly seek and worship Him once again, and not because of what He can give you, but for who He is to you! You've been grown for too long- it's time to come forth CHILD!
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