Job 14:7

For there is hope for a tree,

   If it is cut down,

      That it will sprout again,

         And its shoots will not cease?

 

I have a tree that I cut down ages ago.  I did not dig up the roots or poison it because it was right next to a tree I wanted to keep. Many years later it is still trying to grow. It is annoying, but it gives me a basis to understand this verse a little better.

‘For’ was also ‘at least’ and some version that said ‘even’.

‘Sprout again’ was also ‘renew itself’.

‘Shoots’ was also ‘branches’ and ‘suckers’. ‘Cease’ was also ‘fail’.

There exists some living creatures that can rebuild themselves if injured. People have found a desire to capture this ability to regrow themselves, and while most benefits will come in medicine and helping others, some want this to prolong their own lives as long as possible for their own pleasure. I doubt God wants us to live forever on our own, but He allows trees, plants and other creatures this ability for long life to allow us to learn to be in awe of God and also to improve ourselves and how we treat others. (Long sentences today.)

The past six weeks have been very stressful as I had to deal with something totally out of my control. I sent someone a picture of a train steaming full ahead off the end of a bridge to relay how helpless I felt. The hard part is now over, and the week will be full of trying to overcome the lack of control with the frantic action before the train hits the bottom. The hardest part coming will be for my client to repair relationships with their clients. I’ve already assumed my relationships involved  are over, but I will keep trying to get God’s input on any actions I do or do not take.

One of the thoughts that run through my head is how my actions as a younger person have negatively impacted others and what is my duty around going back and ask forgiveness. I got in a fight with a friend when I was younger, I cannot remember why, but I feel like it ended the friendship. Sometimes I wish I would have been mad enough to fight back, but alas the reason for the fight was probably only in his mind, and I did not value him enough to work it out.

As a kid, I had anger issues, but I was taught that fighting was never a solution. The few fights I got in were when someone else lost control or had evil intent, and I simply tried to avoid getting hurt. I was convinced that if I lost control someone else would get hurt and I would end up in jail. And that is the paradigm I see when I look at spiritual issues: Were I try to fight for my sinful nature wants, I would end up isolated from God for eternity in hell. Since I know Christ has paid the penalty for me, I will spend eternity in heaven with God and that is reason enough to suffer injustice and have a different hope than the tree.

 

Written 8/17/24, Posted 9/9/24, Job 320