The Shade Of The Damning Tree

I love hammocks. Almost every time that I go to the Mexican market in Cuidad Juarez I look at them and desire to get one, but both the times that bought one for myself it was donated to the Mexican Fiesta. Looking back I remember my Nea (my mothers mom) and Bepaw (my mom’s dad) had a hammock in their back yard. It was the kind that had the green metal frame that needed some paint with the canvas type rope netting that you lay in. getting into it was always a challenge and once you did, well it was a little slice of Royal Oak heaven. When I was young and it was hot out, I wanted to be on that hammock. Lying in the backyard shade of an plum tree, drinking a cold lemonade.

That was the life. That was then.

Today, unfortunately, there is little time for lying in the shade. Most of us need to take more time and do that whole bunch of nothing, except enjoying life for a while. But many of us, in the midst the hyper busyness of our lives, are lying in the shade of a totally different kind of tree, the damning tree. This tree offers no comfort or rest it only condemns, it only indicts us. It always lives to make the past our present. Our mistakes and rebellion are forever on its wrinkled critical lips.

“You are loser.“

“You’re such a sinner.”

“How could God ever love you?”

“He may love you, but he’ll never forget what you did to her!”

“You’re unqualified for everything.”

“That sin that you constantly engage in, that proves he has rejected you!”

On, and on, and on, the damning tree drones. As you lay in its shade you are never refreshed, constantly exhausted from guilt, regret and shame.

It’s time to move out of the shade of the damning tree and into the sunlight of God’s truth and as we bask in that certainty this cool refreshing reminder whispers in our ear:

“Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

In Christ, You Are Free, and that is way better than a hammock in the shade.