Oaks of Righteousness

Life comes out of death - remember the lesson of the seed (March 19th blog)?  Instead of grain, let's use the acorn as our example.


As the acorn dies to being a seed and begins sending its roots deep into the soil, it draws life from the soil which goes into the growing up of the tree above ground.  As the tree continues to abide in the soil, it continues to draw life from the soil and continues to grow large and strong.  It is a long slow process to grow an oak tree, but the results are worth it.  The oak is one of the largest and strongest trees.  It is hardy and healthy, not easily damaged or diseased.  An ash or silver maple may grow more quickly, but they are weaker, more susceptible to disease and shorter lived. 

The ground of our growth is the love of God, demonstrated when Christ Jesus laid down His life for us.  We are rooted and grounded in love (see Ephesians 3:18).  We are buried with Christ in His death (see Romans 6:3-5).  Andrew Murray wrote: "It is as we abide in the ground of His death by faith that we stike the roots of faith deep down into Him, like a planted acorn, and thus His life springs up in us into 'newness of life'; 'resurrection life'; the ascension life within the veil."  This is how we become "oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61:3).

When I first began to study spiritual growth, one of the first resources I found was Miles Stanford's Principles of Spiritual Growth (also titled The Green Letters).  In it, Stanford list several principles, a chapter at a time, among them, "appropriation."  The principle of appropriation says that as you learn what is already yours in Christ, and as you experience a practical need, you will appropriate, or receive from Him what He has already done to meet that need.  This was during a rocky time in my life (a time of "practical need") and as I read this book and others dealing with the Christian life and growth, I began "appropriating" everything in sight!  I was starving for more of the Lord, and I was desiring and "claiming" every principle of life and growth I was learning about.

My life suddenly seemed to get even more complicated and more painful than it already was. God's response to my "appropriating" was in effect: "You asked for it; so, I'm going to give you what you're requesting in a way that you will know I heard your prayer." What He was pouring into my life had multiple effects.
First, He sustained me through a time of great crisis. Second, contrasted to the depth of hurt and confusion in my life, He showed me how suffering can be our greatest teacher. Third, He showed me that I could not handle, all at once, all that I was asking Him to teach me. Finally, He convinced me that my growth - what I was to learn at a given time, the teaching method, and the pace at which He would teach me - is His responsibility!

This is the daily cross. This is always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus. It is coming to an end of all your efforts to take responsibility for your growth away from the Lord who began it. It is resting in Him who is at work both to will and to work for His good pleasure. It is totally trusting that the God who is is a willing and faith rewarder of those who seek Him.

He truly is YHWH Tsidkenu - The Lord Our Righteousness - and YHWH M'Kaddesh - The Lord who Sanctifies.  The way you get in is the way you go on. Trust Him who saved you to also grow you, and you will become an "Oak of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."