KINGDOM TREES
“It is like a mustard
seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and
the birds of the air made nests in its branches” (NRSV).
Where I grew up in rural Jamaica,
trees were like old friends. Fruit trees of all kinds grew in my backyard. My
friends and I knew every nook and cranny in them as we would often climb up and
sit in their branches.
One tree we never tried to climb, though. It was the Methuselah of
trees. The big almond tree stood about 200 feet from the house and had towered
over everything for as long as anyone could remember. Its trunk was so big that
five or six of us held hands to circle it. We kids would play house under its
wide branches anytime we got a chance.
Jesus said that the kingdom of
God is like a huge tree in which
kinds of birds make a home. (Luke 13:19)
This is a picture of how the kingdom receives people of all cultures and
backgrounds. The arms of our heavenly Father are open to all who are willing to
come to Him.
And when all earthly kingdoms are dissolved, He will welcome us into His
everlasting kingdom. Heaven will be our home. The Bible speaks of people
celebrating in heaven “from every tribe, and language, and people, and nation.”
(Revelation 5:9) And the tree will still be there. “…On each side of the river grew the tree of life, bearing twelve
crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine
and to heal the nations. (Revelation 22:3)
© Phillippa Brown
