SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 17
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. [Ezekiel 17:23]
God loves to tell stories, we also see this in Jesus.
He takes the ordinary stuff of life and nature, and turns it into an object lesson.
In today’s story He compares the foolish king of Israel, exiled in Babylon, who tries to make a treaty Egypt, and ends up getting caught.
The great eagles represent all that is great and big in this world, and the tree represents the way people are often deceived by the lure of impressive ‘eagles’.
And then God talks about His own tree, and how it is greater than all!
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” [Matthew 13:31-32]
Jesus tells a similar story, talking about a little seed that becomes a great tree which provides safety and blessing to the birds that dwell in it.
Jesus’ tree, like God’s tree, seems to get missed at the beginning because it seems small and unimpressive in comparison.
How can Israel compare to the great empires of Babylon or Egypt?
But how can Babylon or Egypt compare to God?
God is in the business of planting and building up His own kingdom in this world of big and impressive kingdoms; it may look insignificant, but looks are deceiving.
The greatness of the community of Jesus followers is not in their numbers or wealth or impressive buildings (or it ought not to be), but in their faith in their impressive God.
He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
He is able to take what is small, insignificant, unimpressive, and establish something world-transforming.
But our confidence needs to be in the greatness of God, not in the greatness of our programs, our budgets, our sanctuaries, or our membership lists.
This is a great comfort to me, because right now my church community seems to be small in these areas.
But God and His kingdom, though appearing small, are huge!
I feel like that tree, looking from one ‘big’ eagle to another, and being lured to put my confidence in them rather than in God.
As a pastor in a small, struggling yet dynamic church, it is tempting to get distracted by the mega-ministries all around us.
Yet God has planted us, and He is providing amazing resources and opportunities.
One day this seed church will become a tree, and many people will come and perch in its branches!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for speaking to me today, precisely where I need to be encouraged. Forgive me for looking elsewhere, help me to dwell on You and Your greatness!