Hit That Tree

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has annointed Me, 

To preach good news to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives, 

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengence of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called oaks of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, for the display of His splendor.  Isaiah 61:1-3

These verses are invaluable to me.  Oh, to know we serve a Lord who gives us beauty for ashes...

A couple weeks ago I shared about my experience at the Deeper Still Retreat for women and men wounded by the sin of abortion.  Today, I would like to share more...

Rain poured as I sat clutching my single red rose.  The rain seemed to me to be a cleansing rain, a healing rain. 

The single red rose represented our "sin".   The red was in reference to the verse, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." Isaiah 1:18.

During this part of the retreat, we were to toss the red rose from the porch into the forest and over the mountain to represent our sin is removed (Psalms 103:12). 

At last it was my turn to hurl my rose over the mountain never to be seen again.  I drew back my arm and sent the red stained symbol of my past sin sailing into the air.  Only, it didn't fly over the mountain.  Instead, my rose hit a huge oak tree.  The impact cracked and smashed the delicate metaphor.

Even in that simple miscalculated throw, the Lord spoke.  

You are an oak of righteousness.  If any sin of your past is hurled at you, it will not stand.  It will be smashed, cracked and destroyed.  You are made righteous because of the blood of Jesus.  The tree of righteousness destroys sin or any accusation of sin.  

The tree of righteousness is a shield that is impenetrable.  Jesus hung on a "tree" so that we would be made righteousness by His blood.  Our sin was nailed to that tree.  When you ask for forgiveness, your sin is no longer on you, but hangs on the tree.  The Cross now bears your sin and you are free.  This exchange is what causes you to be an oak of righteouness, a planting of the Lord, for the display of His splendor!

Sweet friends, no matter what your "red rose" is, decide today to pitch it over the mountain.  You are an oak of righteousness!!  If the accuser tries to condemn you with past sin, remember he is a liar.  The truth is you are as white as snow and the Lord has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12).  

Your sin is removed and destroyed!! It cannot stand against an oak of righteousness!