Still desperate in our attempts to ensure he would be remembered, we invited family, friends, and teammates over to help us plant an oak tree on the first anniversary of Nicholas’s death. We chose the oak because of its symbolism of strength and endurance in God’s Word.
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies— and to comfort all who mourn, To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display his glory. Isaiah 61:1-3 The Message.
The Good News of Freedom
All of this is good news of freedom and healing made possible through the sacrificial death of Christ the Messiah. Luke 4:18,19 records our Lord opening the scroll to this text, reading it, and then sitting down after proclaiming its fulfillment in their presence that very day. He stopped short of celebrating the destruction of God’s enemies since that was still to come with His future Return.
Healing for the Broken Hearted
What especially stands out is healing for the broken hearted and comfort for those in mourning. Jesus Christ accomplished this work when He died to pay for our sins and then conquered death with His resurrection. There is real-time fulfillment now with the hope of future completion when all wrongs are righted at His Return. He has given us bouquets of roses, messages of joy, and a praising heart that replace the symbols of death.
The Nicholas Tree in 2023
Oaks of Righteousness
He then renamed us Oaks of Righteousness planted by God to display His glory. It takes time for a young sapling to mature into a strong oak. I would never have asked for the suffering I was asked to endure. The enduring of which built my character that I didn’t think was worth the suffering. But then out of necessity and desperation, as I continued in the process, by not giving up too soon, character gave way to HOPE. And HOPE in Christ does not disappoint. It is a sure and certain expectation that will happen.
A Tree Needs Water
The Nicholas tree is growing. Though not completely mature, it’s not a young sapling either. Those that gathered the day of its planting were each given a bottle of water and one by one they poured the life giving nutrients necessary for growth.
Suffering is Necessary for Maturity
That’s what Christ has done for us. The suffering He endured was necessary to complete the work He started. We are declared righteous at the point of salvation, but our maturity takes time. He named us Oaks ahead of time, knowing the sorrow we would be asked to endure would make us stronger than we ever thought possible until our eternal joy is complete.
With a heart of gratitude, while still in our brokenness, the Leavesof Righteousness from the Oak God planted are acts of love freely given as a sacrifice of praise, All for the Glory of God.
