Wednesday, March 19, 2014

March 19, 2014

A Tree Whose Roots Go Deep In Love


Greetings to our friends at Grosse Pointe from your friends at the Avenue Church in Newton Abbot, Devon, England.

Have you heard this story?
It was told to our Junior Church by Martin, our Family Worker.
First of all he held up a drawing of a tree and talked to the children about it. 

Then the story began:

There was once a man who had a beautiful garden of which he was very proud. Unfortunately on one side of his fence was a rubbish tip, but on the other side of the garden, through a little gate, was a sparkling stream with grassy banks on either side.
One day the man thought to himself, ‘I will plant two trees, one to hide the rubbish tip and the other to provide shade by the stream.’ This he did and the trees grew and flourished until they produced fruit. The fruit on the tree near the rubbish tip ripened first so the man picked on to taste it – and it was horrible – bitter, sour, dry; and disappointed he threw it away.
Soon the fruit on the tree near the stream was ripe and with some hesitation he picked one to try – it was delicious – juicy, sweet, and crunchy.”

Martin stopped here and asked the children why this was so. Many varied answers came, then Martin gave his drawing a flick and then this happened. 

Yes roots appeared!

You do not need me to tell you what his explanation was to the children, only to remind ourselves that lives which are rooted firmly in God’s love and redeeming Grace, through prayer, meditating on Scripture, and serving others can only produce good fruit.

Dorothy Williams

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