01/11/2015 - LIKE A CEDAR IN LEBANON

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The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 92.12

An important reason led the writer of this verse to make reference of two trees as examples of the righteous. The palm tree grows in midst of adversity, and in the right period, it flourishes. Therefore, we must not get frustrated with bad things, the lack of love of many, or the greed that makes so many people to do us harm. We have been planted by the Lord to flourish.

It does not matter what people say; if you have been saved by Jesus, justified by His death, becoming someone who practices the Word, you have all the conditions to grow and flourish. The Omnipotent is your guarantee. Thus, even if everything might be going wrong, never curse, complain, or grumble about your life.

According to the psalmist, the righteous shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. The comparison could not be more accurate to the reality. This tree is described and praised in the Scriptures for its greatness and beauty. The Creator points out some characteristics of this tree to make resemblances with the new convert. In its first three years of life, the cedar does not surpass five centimeters in height.

Some Christians get frustrated when they notice that, after the first and second year serving God at church, they have not yet grown in the faith. Although they desire to grow, they remain like “children”. The cedar waits until the fourth year, and only then it starts to grow in its exterior. But what only few people know is that on the first three years, its roots grow one meter and a half in the direction of the center of the earth.

Those who are not rooted in Christ must pay attention to the fact that the comparison made by the Lord is authentic. The more the tree grows in appearance, the more its roots continue developing as well. The cedar is different than other trees – it embraces a rock instead of stopping to grow. This is how God has planned it to be.

The Lord determined that the righteous should grow like the cedar in Lebanon. Those who wish to run more than they should will not prosper. It is necessary to embrace the Rock, because then, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God (Rom 8.35). Why should you let yourself be led by the enemy’s lies, if it is easy to believe in the Truth? This was determined by He who knows the struggles we will go through. If we are embraced with the Lord, we will not be plucked.

The Almighty and Omniscient God does not have a commitment with he who does not follow His advices. Therefore, it is good to spend three years creating roots in the Lord. After, once you are rooted in Him, you will be able to grow and be the beautiful tree that will give so much joy to the Creator. The Most High does everything for our own good.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares