Is it possible?

Will we stand divided or united? Can there be unity? Ever since our trip out West, I’ve felt God whispering “One root. One root, Pat!” And like so many of the things I learned while we were there, I have a story to share with you.

I had to share

Jason (my son) and his wife Jenny share my passion for sightseeing. When I shared my pictures from Duck Creek, UT, I added the comment from the park ranger at the nearby Bryce Canyon. “They come from a single root. They are considered the most massive living organism.” When Jason asked me, “All of them are one?” I had to do some research of my own.  

Dazzling!

I was excited to learn more about the aspen, because from the first moment we spotted them I was dazzled by their beauty…white trunks with brilliant black scars from the natural shedding of lower branches gleamed in the sunlight. They were so bright; they looked like they were plugged into electricity when the light hit them. Hues of light green to golden heart shaped leaves danced and clapped at the slightest breath of wind. But the celebration didn’t seem to stop with the leaves; when the sunlight filtered through them, it looked as if the whole tree was dancing! As I waded into the tall ruby kissed grass the unique sound of leaves clapping was delightful!  

Birch?

I thought I was looking at birch trees, but the bark on birch trees peel and there were no signs of peeling bark. Instead of birch, I had met Utah’s state tree the quaking Aspen. Quaking isn’t a word you hear very often. But when you actually see them you understand why they are given such a vibrant, energetic name. I couldn’t help but think of Moses on Mt. Sinai. Quake is an intense word that is used in KJV of what Moses did when he experienced God’s presence—Hebrews 12:21 “And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:” But you have to dig deeper to find the root (literally) that makes these trees so amazing. While most trees grow from seeds, a stand of aspen spreads by sending up shoots from a single root. Located in the nearby Fishlake National Forest Scientist have discovered a stand of over 40,000 aspen that cover over 106 acres from a single root. Yes, you read that right—one root! These trees are genetically identical. Scientist named it Pando, which means, “I spread.” I was blown away, but I wasn’t the only one. Its massive size, weight and age have brought the Pando worldwide interest and even caused it to be memorialized on a stamp as one of the “40 Wonders of America.”

One root!! ONE!

The church has one root-Jesus.

Isaiah 53:2 NKJV For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

 

Jesus- the Root and Offspring of David

Revelation 22:16 NIV “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

 

No one else can save us from our sin!

Acts 4:12 NLT There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

 

One body!

Romans 12:5 (NKJV) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

 

But can we believers, Jesus body of believers really be one?

In times of division, bitterness, anger, distrust, fear?

Lines and lies drawn to divide us.

Different opinions, colors and methods?

Can we really live as one?

 

United or Divided?

Jesus prayed that we would be one.

20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Can we be one?

I’m talking about God’s family of believers.

His church…

His family…

His body…

Born of

His Spirit

Of the incorruptible Word of God…

Can we be one?

Even WHEN they…

disagree with us?

don’t do what we think they should?

do wrong?

are weak?

fail?

Yes,

we can be one;

especially when we understand the redemptive power of love and intercession.

If my stomach gets sick I don’t ignore it, I get busy trying to get it healed. If my toe gets injured I put medicine on it…I don’t cut it off! You don’t have to condone sin to love someone, but you do have to love them! You can’t be part of their healing if you don’t love them.   What would happen, if when our brother/sister in the Lord failed; we cried out in intercession to God for them…relentlessly! What would happen if we lived so in tune with God’s Spirit that we could speak truth in love? Do you think things would be different, if when we caught ourselves blaze with criticism, we raced to our prayer closet where we humbled our heart in repentance; then prayed that God would open both our eyes (the person we are criticizing and ourselves) to behold truth and right answers? Would we have more of God’s wisdom for situations? Sometimes, we might even discover we were wrong and not them! I humbly admit that I have. Would we have more unity if we lived more like Jesus?   Jesus prayed…”I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.” If you remember Jesus didn’t stop the conversation with unity. He continued…

Then…

the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

    Thank you so much for reading this post. If you paused to think or you were blessed by this post will you please share it with your friends?   Resources: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fishlake/home/?cid=STELPRDB5393641 https://www.nps.gov/brca/learn/nature/quakingaspen.htm