In January, a few years ago, an old maple tree that stood in the front yard of our farmhouse was swept by a crosswind and fell safely away from the house into the yard. The impact shook the house and in unison everyone in the family ran to the window to see the old tree, now broken a few feet from the base, severed from its roots.
Maple trees often become hollow in the center when they grow beyond a certain size and stature. Thus the 80 foot old tree was doomed by its own successful growth. A sense of loss surrounded me and I thought of those who had planted the maple in the front yard of their newly built home in the mountains of Virginia.
Who picnicked under the shade of the growing tree? Did children play ball under its canopy on a rainy day? Did lovers share a kiss under its branches? The tree stood through the uncertainty of the Great Depression and the calamity of the World Wars. It was steady in the crazy sixties and seventies. It stood tall and firm when everything else was falling apart. Now hollow from its own successful growth, it lay on the ground toppled by the wind.
This tree withstood the winds and earth shattering events of the past century until it collapsed from its own internal weakness. Like the maple tree, we begin our lives with promise and as we grow, succeed, and reach a certain stature in the world, we may begin to recede on the interior.
If we do not allow the power of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, we become weak and hollow like an old maple.
We are drained of our strength and power to do God’s will. When the world becomes difficult or makes demands of us, rather than standing strong with God, we fall to each passing wind and we are separated from our lifeblood, the blood of the Lamb, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. Grand and successful in the eyes of men, we fall into the world and detach ourselves from the roots of our Father.
This is a sobering thought as we now perhaps face the most difficult challenges faced by modern man. In fact, our society has grown sick and unstable like the old maple, hollowed out from the core by a rejection of the Divine.
When the Divine was removed from society, the structure holding society together began to fall apart. The family, the defining unit of civilization, continues to be attacked by forces that reject marriage and family. Sadly, these attacks have been successful and now we find ourselves facing an uncertain future, a global tyranny that despises the family and even mankind.
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
We have been intentionally left defenseless in the face of a global onslaught against the very structures that allow human societies to flourish. Our broken individuals, families, and communities are but commodities to be exploited and controlled by those who despise God and the individual soul.
Yet, even in the midst of a possible tyranny so great that it will make all previous tyrannies look meager, we have some recourse. No, I don’t believe we have a recourse in political institutions or courts, or any earthly savior. I don’t soothe myself by believing that some hero is going to rush in and save humanity.
What I do believe in is the power of the Holy Spirit to convert. I also believe that God can bring good out of tragedy. Perhaps this is not a popular “feel good” opinion, but I see that in the face of global technocratic communism that dehumanizes and seeks to destroy the mind and denies the existence of the soul, that men will fall to their knees in their suffering and need and look up to God.
Perhaps for the first time in their lives many will seek the Divine redeemer. It is my belief that men who have lost everything will find God waiting for them. Hope in the midst of suffering. The Holy Spirit will convert.
We must pray and stand strong in the face of great evil. We must pray for the knowledge and wisdom to know how to act in the face of evil. We must pray for the ability to discern truth from the plethora of lies being fed to society by the media, the governments of the world, and from those who would do harm to us.
Then we must put our faith in God and God alone to save us.
Thank you, Rae, in the wake of the midterm elections, it is obvious that our society is on the brink of social collapse from which there will be no return. All I know to do is pray. No one wants to listen to an old woman - especially my children.
However, I do believe that God, our Father, is able to do all things by the power of the Holy Spirit, and with this in mind - I place my trust and hope in His love for us.
I really like this reflection! Such good points about the world, and the need for inner fortitude.