On our farm we have many types of trees such as oak, maple, and chestnut. One kind in particular I like to look at and think about are the sycamore trees.
When I see them, they remind me of the story about Zacchaeus in Luke 19. He was a short man who climbed a sycamore tree to be able to see Jesus coming down the road.
We have several sycamore trees around the land. They aren’t hard to miss. They are very tall. But one feature you can’t miss seeing is the way they shed their bark.
I can’t help but draw a parallel. Jesus tells Zacchaeus to come down from the tree because He’s going to his house. Jesus helps Zacchaeus turn from his ways of cheating as a tax collector. He helps him to be renewed.
Just like the sycamore tree shedding its bark so it can be renewed.
We too are renewed when we meet with Jesus. If you truly meet Jesus with an open heart, you can’t help but be renewed.
One definition of renewed is ‘to restore or replenish.’ That is what Jesus does for us. satan in this world seems to sometimes take everything we’ve got. Jesus is the only One Who can restore us and replenish us.
So let Jesus peel off your old, dead bark and renew you today!
