The Three Trees

I don't know how many of you have ever read the book called 'The Three Trees'..it is one of my favorites! It's the story of three trees, an olive tree, an oak tree, and a pine tree. Each tree had big dreams for it's life.
The olive tree wanted to one day be made into a treasure chest..covered with sparkling jewels..and to carry the greatest treasure in the world.
The mighty oak tree, being very strong and proud, dreamed that one day it would be made into a beautiful ship, mighty and strong..and that it would someday carry great kings across the water.
The pine tree had a dream of it's own. It stood high on the mountainside, and many times saw people in the valley looking up at it. The pine tree dreamed of it's towering branches pointing people to the glory and splendor of God. It wanted to stay on the mountain and point people toward Him.
One day, a woodsman came and noticed the olive tree. The olive tree thought that it's dream was about to come true...at last it would become a beautiful treasure chest! The woodsman cut the tree down, and took it to his workshop. Sure enough, he cut the the tree into boards and hammered them into the shape of a box! But..he didn't make the tree into the shape of a treasure box..he didn't polish the wood or cover it in fine jewels. Instead..he dragged the box into a dirty stable and filled it with hay for the animals to eat from. The olive tree lost all hope.
Meanwhile, the mighty oak was noticed by some shipbuilders..they cut the oak tree down and took it to their boatyard. They cut the tree trunk into boards and bent them to form the side of a boat. The oak tree was so excited, thinking his dreams were about to come true! But, when the men were done working on it, the oak tree ended up feeling small..they hadn't made the oak into a mighty ship at all..they had made it into a tiny fishing boat. The oak tree lost hope that he would ever carry a great king.
The pine tree continued to stand tall high on the mountaintop..but a fierce storm came. It shook the pine tree to it's core, and uprooted it. The pine tree crashed to the ground..along with it's dream of pointing people to God. Some soldiers came, and they hauled the tree off to the scrapyard..the pine tree felt unused and forgotten..now it was nothing more than old scrap wood.
After several years had passed, all three of the trees had lost hope. Their dreams had not taken place, and they gave up thinking about what they might become...but God had a plan for each one of these trees!
When there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph, they were taken to a dirty stable, filled with animals..In that stable, there was a manger, filled with hay..it was perfect as a cradle for the baby Jesus. The olive tree had not become a treasure chest at all..but now, as a manger, it held the greatest treasure there had ever been..God's son.
Jesus grew into a man and He traveled to the very lake where the little oak fishing boat was docked...and one day..the little boat carried Jesus along with His friends the disciples across the lake. A great storm came and the little oak boat filled with water..it looked like all was lost..but Jesus calmed the storm..and the little boat realized..it may have never carried an earthly king..but it was now carrying the King of Kings!
The pine tree laid for years out in the scrapyard. Broken and defeated, it had lost sight of it's dream to point people to God. One day, the pine tree heard voices in the distance. People were hollering "Crucify Him!"..and the soldiers came and grabbed the forgotten pine. They cut the pine into two pieces to make a cross. Then they laid Jesus on the cross. The pine tree didn't know if it could bear the weight of a man..but it also knew that it's dream was being fulfilled. Jesus died that day to take away the sins of the world for all who believe in Him...and to this day, people look to the cross to point them to God.
Beloved, most of the time, the dreams that you have for your own life are much smaller than the dream that God has for you. Sometimes you may feel forgotten, even rejected. Sometimes it may seen that your dreams have even died. You may have let go of the dreams you had for your life because they seemed impossible...but pay attention to the desires of your heart. They were given to you by God...and His timing is perfect. God has not forgotten you. He just has a way of "unveiling" the dream that He has given you in a way that you could have never imagined. Don't give up. Don't quit praying. Don't stop making plans. Your God has not forgotten the dream that He gave you. Life happens. Things seem impossible. But God is still working in your life..behind the scenes..in ways you cannot see. When you cannot trust yourself..trust Him. When you cannot see anything happening in the natural, believe that He is working "supernaturally" in the hearts and lives of others. The three trees in the story couldn't have begun to imagine how God would use the dream that He put in their heart...but His dream for them was even greater than what they could have ever dreamed themselves. It is the same with you beloved!