Three Trees
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing
their hopes and dreams when the first tree said "Someday I hope to be a
treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems.
I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the
beauty."
Then the second tree said "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take
kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world.
Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said. "I want to grow to be the tallest and
straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill
and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how
close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and
people will always remember me.. "
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group
of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he
said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell
the wood to a carpenter." and he began cutting it down. The tree was
happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure
chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I
should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy
because he knew he was on his way to be-coming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened
because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come
true. One of the woodsman said, "I don't need anything special from my
tree so I'll take this one" and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed
box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This
was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made
into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying
kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large
pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one
day, a man and women came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed
the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this
manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this
event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years
later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree.
One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the
water, a great storm arose and the tree
didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the
sleeping man, and He stood and said, "Peace" and the storm stopped. At
this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of kings in its
boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the
streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came
to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die
at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it
was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God
as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your
way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in
Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they
wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what
God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but
His ways are always best.
"For I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper
you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will
call upon me and come and pray to me,and I will listen to you. You will
seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL your
heart". Jeremiah 29:11-13
http://pachome2.pacific.net.sg/~jtw2/three_tree.htm
Yeh yeh.... He has a plan for u. it may not be what u expected it to be, but it will be the best for u, He will live your dreams out!!!
jyjy!! Lets not give up in serving God!!!
