Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

Yesterday, while waiting for the irrigation man to come give me an estimate, I decided to be productive and pull a few weeds.  Said weeds also included a multitude of little oak sprouts.  Normally, those are rooted so deeply by the time I get to them that they just snap off at ground level.  But this time I received a wonderful bonus.

It's been a long time since I've actually seen a complete acorn attached to a sapling. On the right you can see the taproot beginning its long journey downwards.  The shell is complete, though cracked, with life bursting forth in amazing strength.  If we hadn't had recent rain, I would not have been able to pull it up. 

This little sapling is the offspring of this live oak tree in our front yard.

Since the house was built in 1985, and I don't think the tree was native to the lot, that means it's at least 27 years past acornhood, and probably closer to 30.  It's rather stunning to contemplate humble acorns as carriers of God's glorious tree, tucked in brown, crushed underfoot, buried by squirrels - truly "treasure in jars of clay" (2 Cor. 4:7).

Isaiah knew about acorns and oaks, too.  God made it clear from the beginning days of Israel as a people that he did not choose them because they were strong, good-looking, or above average students.  He took ordinary, flawed, ornery people and set them apart for His good purposes.  And what purposes He had for them!  Read this passage from Isaiah 61:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

   because the LORD has anointed me

   to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

   to proclaim freedom for the captives

   and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor

   and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

   and provide for those who grieve in Zion —

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

   instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

   instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

   instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

   a planting of the LORD

   for the display of his splendor.

Just listen to that description of His people - poor, brokenhearted, captive, prisoners, grieving, mourning, ashes, despair. Makes that little acorn look pretty good, eh?  And yet God's vision for them - past the non-descript shell, past the time required in the dirt - is so magnificent!  He sees.....

• Oaks of righteousness - we are embued with a strength, dignity and purity that we sometimes can't even see in ourselves
• A planting of the Lord - not planted by a squirrel or happenstance, but purposefully God-planted where we are right now
• For the display of His splendor - we have purpose, eternal purpose, that begins in the acorn's shell and ends when we see Him face to face

Today I especially have small beginnings on my mind as our Minter Lane church welcomes George Forrester Perrey as the newest member of our community.  God has planted him right here to be loved by his parents and extended family, nurtured by old and young at Minter, and shown the way of Christ.  I can't wait to see the mighty oak of righteousness he will become!  May we embrace God's power to turn little acorns (like us!) into mighty oaks, all for the display of His splendor.