Fallen Trees

 

These are the visions I saw while I was lying in my bed: I looked, and there in front of me was a tree standing in the middle of the earth. And it was very tall.
The tree grew large and strong. The top of the tree touched the sky and could be seen from anywhere on earth. The leaves of the tree were beautiful. It had plenty of good fruit on it, enough food for everyone. The wild animals found shelter under the tree, and the birds lived in its branches. Every animal ate from it.
“As I was looking at those things in the vision while lying on my bed, I saw an observer, a holy angel coming down from heaven.
He spoke very loudly and said, ’Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals under the tree run away, and let the birds in its branches fly away. Daniel 4:10-14 (NCV)

I recently took the dogs to one of our regular metro park walking places. The was a moderate breeze blowing as a new weather front was approaching. We often walk through these pathways, but this time things seemed different, as if I was viewing them for the first time.

Being late December there was lots of open spaces from the tree leaves covering the ground. The ground was littered with fallen trees. They have been uprooted or torn apart from the reformed hurricane months previous.

As in Daniel's vision leadership had fallen. I was lead in my mind that in recent past there had been leaders who had fallen. Some were forgotten; others partially sawn apart to clean up the mess. Yet there remains are visible. We see the mess, but chose to avoid or ignore it.

Continuing on our walk we heard a crash. I could see as another large branch was torn away from a damaged tree. I was impressed that in the near months there would be another leader which would suffer damage.

It seems we can be quick to judge those fallen. But too often we're judging them personally and not the sin which caused their fall. The winds of public opinion continue to batter those which stand yet wounded. Where is the thought of reconciliation? After-all, that is the crux of God's plan for all of his creation. Jesus came to save his fallen brothers, not to bash and ostracize us.

Clearly we have received mercy, that which we do not deserve. We must fallow the example the apostle Paul wrote of in his prayer for us;

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)

We must learn to pray for our leaders now and the reconciliation of those fallen and yet to fall.