The Devotional - A Look at the Book #604

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #604

by Jesse Abel

What Papa “J” has to say! #25

The Word of God is not easily understood by the person who does not know God. Truth is; it is an impossible task. But if you know Jesus who says: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” then through Him (who is God) the burden of knowing His Word is Light. Matthew 11:25-30 and John 8:12

The Devotional

In the late 1940’s around the age of nine or ten I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s house in Louisville, Kentucky. In her back yard was an apple tree; I am not sure how old the tree was then since I never saw an apple from it. We often played on the tree since it was easy to climb and it had low branches; my uncles who were in their late teens built a swing and a small house in the tree. Also the ground around the tree was bare dirt since our little feet made sure that nothing would grow. Some of the tree roots complained about us kids treading on the soil over them and began to reach out and stub our toes a time or two. Of course… here is the rub! The old house is still standing and any apple tree can live up to eighty years of age. Looking at a satellite photo of 412 E. Brandeis Avenue I see another tree in the place of that one. It is not a tree for food, nor is it the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and it truly is not the Tree of Life… it is simply a tree that is pleasant to the eyes; like being at home. Our roots in life run deep and if you have Jesus as your Brother, your roots run eternally into the Golden Avenue of the eternal Eden. Genesis 2:9 and Revelation 21:21. Take time to know Jesus and be at home in His Roots.

ECCLESIASTES 4

Ecclesiastes 4:12 – In our workplace or neighborhood, in the schoolyard or even on the highway the opportunity to be overpowered by evil is often lurking nearby. On the other side of that thought; also lurking nearby is a close friend, one who will always come to your rescue for good.

So here is a paradox; good and evil walk the same path with us daily; even while your close friend may be absent from your physical presence while facing evil; just thinking about your friend will be enough to pull you through that moment.

These are important points that Solomon is making since it is the difference between being a survivor, and going down in defeat. Opposition is a fact of life. Abraham and Sarah were husband and wife and friends; they also had another friend whose name is Jesus. Genesis 15:6 and James 2:23, the threefold cord is not easily broken. This is not a paradox… it is truth.