The Hope of a Tree
Job 14:7-9 (KJV) For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. When I was a kid, my brother and I spent many afternoons down at Spring Creek. Riding our bikes and building forts were two of our favorite pastimes. There were plenty of trees to choose from, in which to build our mighty fortresses. As time passed, more and more trees were hewn down, to make way for new housing developments. Dave and I jumped from stump to stump, making our way across the woods. Occasionally, a delicate green stalk would emerge from the otherwise dead tree base. I stopped to peer deeply into the crevice, wondering what lay beneath the surface. Hope is like that, simmering just below the crust--full of the promise of new life. Our mortal bodies will...