Mighty Oak, Lowly Seed

We are inspired by the mighty oak far more than we are inspired by its seed. 

This morning the Lord ministered to me about the subtle idolatry of beautiful words. I love beautiful words and there is a desire present in me to inspire, to stand in front of a mighty army and pour forth words that build them up and inspire them to do great things. And that is a very dangerous desire. It is a fleshly desire that must be sanctified through periods of God-imposed silence. He asks, “Will you follow Me, even in the silence?” Yes Lord, for I know I must. 

This morning He showed me the shadowy outline of a human form and a seed was placed within it. The words that came into my mind were, “A small, lowly seed. Hidden. Unseen. Unnoticed.” But then the seed began to grow. Roots began to grow out into the body, then tender stems sprouted forth into the limbs of the body, and I watched as the whole human form was overtaken by the growth coming forth from that small, lowly seed. Every shadowy part of that form was eventually overtaken and filled with all the life that was contained in that hidden, unnoticed seed. And once the form was filled to capacity, branches broke through and grew outward, and that form became a mighty oak that spread out all over the land, and birds came and rested in its branches. 

This morning the Lord explained to me that I cannot build a house with beautiful words. Houses built merely with inspiring words will eventually grow into something that only feeds the flesh. For in our love of the inspiration that those words give, we will begin to desire the words more than the Word-Giver. Thus, we must understand that a house is built with a small, lowly seed. And it is only through that unnoticed, hidden seed that the mighty oak springs forth and covers the landscape with its awe-inspiring branches. 

So I prayed, “Oh Lord, give me lowly uninspiring seeds!”

(Matt 13:31,32) The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.

(John 12:24) Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

(Is 61:3,4) …So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.