Oaks of Righteousness

It's spring and I've been thinking about planting, which led me to think about things in Scripture related to planting. Usually my brain clicks off several Scriptures from memory related to planting, but you might want to do a word search of the word "plant" or "planting" and see what you find.

Here are a few of my own:

Psalm 92:12-15

12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him." -

Psalm 1:3

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Isaiah 61:2-3

…to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

* * * * * * *

Jesus came to do Isaiah 61:1-3 in our lives. He said so in his introductory sermon in Luke 4:18-19. Here is what he came to exchange in us:

Crown of Beauty - instead of ashes

Oil of Gladness - instead of mourning

Garment of Praise - instead of spirit of despair

The result of exchanging our gloomy attitudes for the mind of Christ is that we will called …

Oaks of Righteousness,

the planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.

Yesterday I took my first spring bike ride by a nearby lake. I noted the trees were not yet in full bud so you could really see the structure of each. I couldn't help but notice some pretty ugly gnarly old trees. I took a picture of one because it reminded me of some old people who become misshapen by life's storms and just stand around displaying their hurts for all to see. Then I read about the Angel Oak tree in South Carolina. Now that's what I want to look like in old age. Read about it…

"The Angel Oak has come symbolize Charleston. It is a Southern live oak located in Angel Oak Park, on Johns Island near Charleston. The Angel Oak is estimated to be in excess of 1500 years old, stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall, measures 28 ft (8.5 m) in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet (1,600 m2). From tip to tip Its longest branch distance is 187 ft.

The Angel Oak Tree is thought to be one of the oldest living things in the country. The land where the Angel Oak Tree stands was part of Abraham Waight's 1717 land grant. The City of Charleston now owns the property. The Angel Oak Park is free and the tree should be added to any visit to Charleston, Kiawah or Seabrook Islands."

http://www.angeloaktree.com/