I’m Happy With That!
I stand in the Lamington National Park, Queensland, gazing up at huge Atlantic Beech trees.
They are host to an abundance of epiphyte plants including Strangler Fig vines.
Deeper into the forest we find the filigree shell of a Strangler Fig, standing alone, where once a tree hosting it stood.
Long ago the fig had engulfed the tree.
The tree had died, returned to Dust and had blown away…
That can take a century or more.
Much later, whilst pondering Psalm 103, I felt inspired by what I had seen in the forest that day.
Psalm 103
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him. Psalm 103 v -1-17 NLT
My prayer is that with my whole heart, for my whole Life, I would Praise the Lord.
I know I am dust.
In the fulness of time I will wither away and only His Love will remain.
But what He showed me of that Love, that Process was stunning and unexpected…
I believe He promises,
“Like the filigree of the Fig
surrounding the Beech tree
so my love will enclose you
It will enlarge you
and when the old passes away
all that will remain
is my Love
shaped by who you are
Our journey together
with the infinite detail of my Love
will define you”
20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord. Psalm 103 v 20-22 NLT
The thought of just disappearing seems sad to me.
The thought of being memorialised by God’s Love like this?
Well I’d be happy with that!
Words and Pictures © Denise Stanford-Buller 2017
Within the Vine 