Sometimes I get little unexpected messages from sweet spirit filled friends. A few evenings ago I received one of these messages in my facebook inbox. She said all sorts of encouraging things and then she told me I did not “miss the forest for the trees”. She said she could feel a celebratory atmosphere because of this. She didn’t give me a detailed picture of exactly what this meant but in my spirit it all made perfect sense and my heart practically melted with gratefulness. How is it that God continues to give me good gifts…even when I get it all wrong some days??? God's love and grace is ridiculous!
The whole “not missing the forest for the trees” statement goes way deeper than I can actually express with words and I’d only be doing an injustice to the beauty of what my friend told me if I tried to explain it.
Here’s what I can say.
When my friend said I didn’t “miss the forest for the trees” it wasn’t that the trees were necessarily insignificant. They make up the superficial part of the forest. They are stunning in appearance and desirable to man. It’s not easy to see past their captivating beauty. But beneath the most radiant trees there is a whole other world that sadly goes unrecognized. This is what makes the forest so mysterious and unless we are searching intentionally for it we will miss it. As one small little creature standing in the middle of this forest, my soul knows I am on holy ground, and I’m nearly always moved to take off my shoes and go to my knees to worship God. Ahh...to miss this forest would have meant I missed God’s purpose for my life. This forest represents the whole impoverished beautiful village of people I love in Haiti and it’s a secret mystery too wonderful to keep secret.
This forest is filled with lots of little people like this:
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| sweet Migen |
I stand on the rooftops, heart throbbing with urgency, shouting with all my might for anyone to come and see the hidden secrets buried under the massive trees. Some look in the direction of the forest but remain fascinated by the attractive trees never able to enter and gaze upon the unseen treasures. These people sort of wish I would shut-up already about the forest. Then there are others who hear and they come and when they come they share in this supernatural world with me which is extremely painful at times but those moments when God's glory and miracles overflow makes it all worth it. Somehow this forest is both quite simple still awfully grueling and arduous. Parts of it are terribly unsightly yet strangely charming. Filled with anguish only to have joy faithfully refresh in the morning.
If you want an attractive place with all sorts of worldly potential you will probably settle for the trees. But if you are willing to first stare brokenness in the face, admit there is nothing you can do to fix it, and then call on the name of Jesus because you wholeheartedly believe HE is able, then you will see miracles. You will see God’s light pierce the darkness and you will see Him transform brokenness into something beautiful. For all of these reasons and many more I praise God that I did not miss the forest for the tress. There are millions of “forests” all over this big huge world and I absolutely love the forest God put me in. If you are being stirred by God’s heart for the orphans I encourage you to pray and consider supporting Back to Life Ministries. We can love the trees without forgetting the rest of the forest. There is life under those trees in need of God's love. The orphans supported through BTLM need us to look past the trees and see that although silenced and helpless they are a beautiful part of the forest worthy of attention and love. I’m convinced there is nothing lovelier than seeing God’s redemptive love reach straight down from heaven to touch the hearts of the unseen orphans.
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17
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