K B SOI
September, 1944
Like a Tree By ANNABEL LEE *RUM LY
O H DEAR, but I’m tired!” said June as she dropped down on the grass at her father’s feet. herself beside her sister, “arid hot, too.” The girls were eight and ten years old. Pastor Ellston looked at his daugh ters with a twinkle in his eyes,. “And what could you two young ladies have been doing that makes you so hot arid; tired?” he inquired. “We’ve been playing ball at the playground,” June informed him, “and our side beat!” “That’s fine!” Suddenly June said, dreamily, “I think this is the best vacation we have ever had, Daddy!’.’ There was the chirp and tvyitter of birds in the trees above their heads. A lively little stream ran below the cliff where they were sittirig. It was l a t e afternoon and long shadows stretched out over the sparkling wa ters and rested on the opposite bank. "I think this is the best vacation, too,” said Lois. “It is grand to have, you back home again,. Daddy. We missed you so much last year: while yod were in the army.” “ I missed you too, my dears, but you know there is a job ■that only ministers can do in the army. I wish I were well enough to be there still.” “Anyway, I’m glad you’re back,” said Lois. “Oh, look, Daddy, at that tree on the other side. See how its roots stick out of the bank? You’d think it would fall into the stream, wouldn’t you?” “It would, Lois, if its Other roots were not so firmly set. in the good earth back of it. And do you know, girls, what that tree reminds me o f?” “No, Daddy. What?” asked Lois. “Oh, is it a story? Do tell us a story,” she begged. “Well, that tree reminds me of
sian Christians might be 'rooted and grounded in love,’ so that they can understand and know the riches of the wonderful love that God the Father has for each of His children.” : "I never knew that,” said Lois with interest. “Tell us more, Daddy.” “Well, just as that tree, because of its strong roots, is able to stand against all the winds and storms that might come upon it, so- Christians, men and women, boys and girls, are able to stand against Satan’s tempta tions when they are really ‘rooted and grounded’ in the love of God. You see, children, when one. really loves the Lord Jesus with his whole heart, he can be said to be ‘rooted’—he has a firm foothold.” “And what else about us and the tree, Daddy?” asked June. “We saw in the Psalm that the tree to which the good man is compared bears fruit in its season. You know we have to bear fruit, too, ‘the fruit of the Spirit.’ Can you tell me what that is?”
something that our heavenly Father said, through one of His psalmists, long ago, But here, let’s look it up in the Bible.” The minister picked up h is. Bible which lay beside him on the grass and as he turned its pages with a practiced hand his two smallj sturdy daughters snuggled up close to him, one on each side. “Look, children, see yvhat the Word says?” And he read in his deep, rich voice : '• ' Blessed is the Irian that walketh f not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sin ners . . . And he shall be Jdke a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth' its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither. “Why, Daddy,” said June, “I never thought of that before when I looked at a .tree.” “Do you see how rich a green its leaves are?” asked her father as the girls looked with fresh interest at the towering tree on1the other side of the stream. “When other trees in this neighborhood are getting brown and rugty-looking, that tree will still be green and fresh-looking, for its roots are drinking in the sweet, clear water. “And there, is something else. Did you know that as Christians you have roots, 'too? Let us turn to Ephesians. See, here in the.third chapter where we have the Apostle Paul’s beautiful prayer, he is praying that the Ephe
“So’m I,” echoed Lois as she flung
“Oh, yes,” said Lois eagerly, “we had that in Daily Vacation Bible School only this summer. You know it too, June, Galatians 5:22 and 23.” The girls recited in unison: ‘“ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, good ness, faithfulness, meekness, self-con trol; against such there is no law.’ ” - “Yes,” said their father with a smile, "and the twenty-fifth verse says, ‘If we live by the Spirit, by the. Spirit Junior King's Business By MARTHA S. HOOKER Member of Faculty Bible Institute of Los Angeles
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