Part Three of Four: The Branches

So far, we have learned from our tree metaphor that the roots of the tree is its stability, and that Christ is the roots and that stability of a relationship that helps the man and the woman grow and prosper. Furthermore, we learned that the trunk is the strength of the tree and our resolve in the relationship. Resolve says that nothing will come between the man and woman or separate us from the love of God.

The branches of the tree reach up toward the light of the sun and life. The only thing that will deter us from the love of God is the branches of anger, jealousy, fear, disgust, sadness, contempt shame, pride, and many others. Other things that will deter us are unresolved issues and sin that wave in the wind of temptation as they also try and reach up to the light of the Son and life.

v7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
v8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river. . . — Jeremiah 17:7, 8a,b

The wind has blown over many a tree leaving nothing standing but the cracked and split tower of the trunk. As with the tree, the wind of temptation has also blown over many a relationship leaving nothing but the trunk of cracked and split resolve.

When there is an unwillingness to root the relationship in Christ or fail to resolve that nothing will come between them or Christ, then the branches of sin makes man top heavy and the relationship will fall. When there is an unwillingness to change and grow, the wind of temptation will huff and puff and will blow our relationship down.

In two weeks, we will go over part four of our tree metaphor and learn of the fruit of the tree. Until then. . .
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