The following may be a story you have heard before, but I think it illustrates a powerful truth. Several years ago while driving near the Mark Twain National Forest, I observed almost a mile long row of small trees, all leaning at a 60 degree angle. Without exception, every tree was noticeably leaning. It appeared they had been planted that way.
I asked a local gentleman why all the trees were leaning. He explained that a January winter storm had coated them with ice. The coating stayed on for almost a month before melting, and while still ice coated, some strong straight east winds had pushed the tree over at an angle. The young trees did not break, but they did bend and lean under the pressure of the ice coating and the wind. Unfortunately, because of the age of the trees and the severity of the winter storm, many of them would never recover. They would always grow at a crooked angle and never be as beautiful as normal trees. One strong winter storm had shaped them for life.

Some folks have stories similar to those trees. They had a bad experience earlier in life. While it didn’t break them, it did bend and shape them. As a result, they never reached their full potential.

Fortunately, there is a difference between trees and people. Trees are at the mercy of nature to remove the weight through the ice melting. People can remove the bending weight of past storms through accepting God’s forgiveness. Trees cannot determine how they are used as lumberman and builders make those choices for them. We can select who will use us. By choosing to allow God to use us, we can reach our potential. While trees do not know the “straightening” strength of a loving relationship, we can experience the love of Christ lifting our spirits and “straightening” our character.

Easter is a story you have probably heard before and need to hear again and again. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we can experience
forgiveness for the self-induced storms that have bent us and experience recovery from the events that have caused us to lean in the wrong direction. This Easter, open your eyes and ears and see and hear the wonderful news that Jesus is abundant life in the here and now—and everlasting life in the hereafter!

Speaking of Jesus: the Starting Point, thank you for participating in the daily Bible reading series we began in January. I hope you will continue your daily Bible reading even though we have completed the “Jesus: The Starting Point” booklet. Each week, in the Together and on our Dawson website, you will find suggested daily Bible reading passages for the rest of the year.

Your pastor,
Gary Fenton