New Growth

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree:
he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 92:12

Every spring, the trees of the forest reawaken, and growth begins again. The sap flows to bring nourishment, the leaves unfold to the sun, and then the branches grow longer. The longer branches provide more places for new leaves, more nourishment for the whole tree. New growth is obvious on evergreen trees. The new needles are a lighter green, the bark a lighter brown.

New growth is essential to the tree. If it does not grow, it dies. A tree grows better and faster if the conditions are right. Give the tree plenty of sun and water, good soil, and room to spread branches, and the tree will grow quickly. The new light green growth adds inches each spring to the tree. But the young tree that lives in the shade of older trees, and competes with them for a limited amount of sun and water, grows slowly. The new green growth is still there, but is much smaller. Sometimes young trees die, crowded out of the things they need to grow.

We have choices in how we grow. We can water our lives with the living water of the presence of God. We can choose to plant our spiritual roots deeply in the Word. We can turn our faces towards God’s light. Or we can choose to ignore the spiritual nourishment Gods provides us. We can live in darkness and in cold. Do you see new growth in your life? Are you reaching further each day? Do you grow closer to God and warm yourself in His presence? Your growth is determined by your choices.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby. I Peter 2:2