In Isaiah 61:3 we find these words, “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” As a visual learner I love the images I see when I read those words. I grew up in central Massachusetts (Worcester, to be exact) and I still love to visit there in the Fall and see the glorious trees. Maples are the most spectacular in color but there are many massive oaks that I like to visit as well. It may seem odd that I visit particular trees but there are several that I passed by often while growing up and their stories seem to entwine with mine. Their gnarled trunks require at least three people to embrace the circumference and their canopy is high and broad. Some of them have a portion of root the width of a fleshy human thigh that poke above ground. I see deep wisdom, strength, and protection in those old trees. I like to sit under them and learn from them. When I visit those old friends in the fall, one of my favorite things to see are all of the thousands of acorns that are scattered around them. All of the essence of each oak tree is offered to all who would come near and freely take the seed.

Sometimes when we read Scripture we read too fast and jump over the small words. Notice in this verse it says “will be” called oaks of righteousness. A promise from God that will be declared over us – not when we check off all boxes on the rule list or when we think we have made ourselves clean and presentable- but when we offer ourselves to Him to be a “planting of the Lord”. Once He plants us where He wants us (and always, always, always He will plant us by Living Water) our roots can grow deep and we will find the ultimate peace and satisfaction of scattering seed and being “the display of His splendor”.

Each of you can find yourself in the image of the oak tree. Perhaps you don’t feel like you will ever be an oak of righteousness. Find some oaks of righteousness with deep roots and sit under them. Take some acorns and carry them in your pockets and then plant them in the fertile soil of your heart. Perhaps you are a young oak, a new planting of the Lord, and you are frustrated at how slowly you are growing. Stop trying to grow up and instead focus on growing down….put down roots that no one but your Father will see and drink from His Living Water. Perhaps you are a mature oak but there is sickness somewhere within you and little fruit (acorns in this visual) are few and far between. Check the sources your roots are seeking nourishment from. Perhaps you are an oak with lots of acorns in your branches but you are afraid to let them fall because someone might reject them or mock them. Check your motives and make sure you don’t want the acorns to be a display of your own splendor instead of His. Once your motive is in check then let the Holy Spirit blow through you and scatter those acorns.

Stand tall my friends. Drink deeply from the only true Source of Life. Weather the storms of this life. Share the fruit to a starving generation. You will never be more beautiful or fulfilled.