Can we see the trees? A second look!

The following essay was first published on December 13, 2011. The conditions, in the Western Christian Church, have not changed - thus, necessitating the need for us to take another look at our condition. We need to take a careful look at where we are. We need to ask ourselves: Can we see the trees?

Hello To All:

Before we continue with the series of essays titled - "I am crucified" - we need to pause for a moment. We need to have a clearer understanding of what it is like to be a Christian in a western church. We need a better perspective of who we are! We need a word picture that gets us focused on our condition, in such a way, as to help us to see the trees!

Our text, for today, comes from Psalm 1:1-3, where we find written: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

What a wonderful picture, of what it is like to be one with Jesus Christ. But, what happens, to our understanding of this text, if we have never seen a tree? What happens, to our comprehension of what this text has to say, regarding our union with Jesus Christ, if we do not even know what a tree is? The answer, of course, is that our understanding and our comprehension, would be significantly reduced; and, perhaps, we would not have any understanding; and, perhaps, we would not have any comprehension. The fullness of our union with Jesus Christ, would be lost to us; the darkness of our understanding and of our comprehension, would blind us to the truth. How can we escape so great a darkness?

Before we can escape the darkness, we must first understand the nature of the darkness. Here is what the Lord our God has shown me, in and through His Son Jesus Christ.

Consider a room with no windows; a room of our own creation; a room filled with the things of our own choosing; a room defining what we believe to be true; a room that proclaims our personal comfort zone; a room that has set the boundaries of our personal status quo; a room that establishes the basis of our relationship with other believers and the world around us; a room that defines our relationship with the one and true and living God; a room that is largely built on the precepts and commandments of men; a room that has no windows! This room, is typical of what it is, to be Christian, here, in the western church!

If you are thinking that this is too strong an indictment; that in some way this is not right; then consider this: I have lived in this room. I am very familiar with the room with no windows. The description, of this room, goes right to the heart, of our condition.

Sometimes we venture forth, from our rooms, and visit the rooms of our friends. Sometimes we will even visit the rooms of strangers. Sometimes we will even gather in very large rooms. But always, the rooms do not have any windows. The rooms do vary, to certain degrees. We will often have discussions, regarding the merits of one room, as compared to another room. Sometimes, these discussions will be very lively and energetic, filled with differing opinions, regarding the proper characteristics, of this room without windows. But, typically, satisfied with our own position, we return to our own room: to the personal darkness, that we have embraced, as being the truth.

On occasion, when we venture forth, we find that the air is exceptionally clear. As we look out, over our city, filled with windowless rooms, we catch a glimpse of something strange. We see something; it appears as a sea of green, moving in the breeze. It is far away, on the very horizon, on the outer limits of our vision. It is the trees! It appeals to us. It touches our heart, in ways we do not understand. It calls to us. It holds out a promise of something greater then ourselves; and, at certain times, it even carries the suggestion, to our hearts, that, just perhaps, we do not have the fullness of understanding and comprehension, that we have convinced ourselves, that we do have. But, soon the mist returns; the vision is lost to us; and we return to our rooms with no windows. The fading vision, of the trees, is gone. The tugging, at our heart, has been replaced by the dark contentment of our windowless room; and we say to ourselves: all is well.

Earlier, I mentioned that I had lived in such a room; but, in May of 2010 (see postings of June 2010), our Lord Jesus Christ, yanked me from my room and took me to Haiti. In Haiti, He showed me the trees. My life changed. When I returned, the reality, of the trees, began to fade; but, I had seen the truth; I was no longer content with my windowless room (see postings of September 2011, titled: "Do I Believe?").

Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, I now live, in a room with windows - lots of windows. As the light of Jesus Christ flows in, and fills my room, I find that the boundaries of the room are ever expanding. As I become more and more "conformed to the image of Christ, who is the image of God" - I find, that the room has become less and less constricting. As Christ increases and I decrease - the boundaries of the room, are even beginning to fade - as the realities of my union with Jesus Christ become ever more apparent. Once again, I can see the trees! Thank you Jesus.

I invite you, my brethren, to allow Jesus to put windows in your rooms.

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus

P.S. (December 26, 2012) I invite you, my beloved brethren, to ask and allow Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ, the Son of The Living God, to put floor to ceiling windows in your rooms.