When I saw the old man pass us
to climb the slope, I shivered as wind
blew through our dense grove.
He had passed this way not long ago,
then spent forty days on the summit
before angrily stumbling back down.
We wondered what was up, and why
he’d thrown away two stone tablets
filled with divine fingerprints of light.
Something really wasn’t right!
He climbed the mount again, tearful,
then came back with two stone tablets
like before. But this time he stopped,
measured our trunks by his arm,
then raised his arm, axe in hand,
and chopped me, a simple acacia, down!
I was sliced in pieces, carefully sanded,
spliced together, the shape of a box,
made lovely in a way I never imagined.
True, my life was gone. I was no longer
a tall acacia with roots deep in soil,
I was remade. But I wondered: for what?
The next time that man came to me
he carried those new stone tablets
shimmering again with divine words.
He placed them inside me!
Oh, the wonder of this role:
I am a treasure chest made special,
the shelter for Yahweh’s words!
The chosen men lift me with reverence
and carry me carefully on rods
whenever the people move ahead,
this homeless crowd of wanderers
looking for their promised land.
I carry the Law and the promises,
the covenant between God and them.
I, the acacia, was chosen, made for this!
Thank you for following the ruminations of a very special acacia tree with me!
As another year begins, are you still wondering what purpose God has for you in this year, or even for your life path? What are you made for? It is normal for us to think about possibilities. Or maybe certain doors have closed and you are in a waiting mode.
This is an ongoing theme. So when I was reading Deuteronomy 10 it occurred to me that a holy, crucial part of what God was preparing for his people’s entry into their Promised Land was a small box: the ark of the covenant. It contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments and symbolized God’s presence—this made it holy, truly set apart in a way that had to be revered.
What made the ark, the container, so important? It carried what represented the Israelite’s unique relationship to Yahweh. Here is a general definition of the weight of the word “covenant” in the Bible:
“A solemn agreement or promise, sometimes confirmed by sacrifice or by sharing in a meal, by which two or more parties commit themselves to the rights and responsibilities demanded by their relationship and their agreed course of action, and accept the serious consequences of breaking faith.[1]”
I imagined an acacia tree near the slope of Mt. Sinai where the covenant was written, then broken by worship of an idol, then written again. It was a simple tree, but God designated it as the chosen wood for many parts of the tabernacle—and in particular the ark of the covenant. Even the poles that were for carrying it were acacia wood (Exodus 25:10-13; Deuteronomy 10:3). That tree had no idea what lay in store for it while it was growing up! It would become a “holy” instrument for God’s purpose!
We are simple human beings, often without knowledge of what God has in store for us. But those of us who are true followers of Jesus are definitely chosen for a purpose:
He has saved us and called us to a holy life– not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. (2 Tim. 1:9a NIV)
A “holy life” is one that is set apart for God’s purposes. We are now in the new covenant, sealed by Jesus’ blood, set apart to serve Yahweh who has brought us into his kingdom. He lives in us, so we are truly holy. And we are members of the community he has chosen:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Pet. 2:9 NIV)
We all are to spread the Good News, the praise of the one who has rescued us. We all are to live as citizens of his “holy nation”. We belong to God, and that truly sets us apart!
So whether we know the exact nature of the life ahead of us, when we follow him with all our hearts he will fulfill his purposes in us. He has purpose for each one of us—he will make it clear, step by step, because he promises to guide us.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Ps. 32:8 NIV)
Just pray this way, like the psalmist:
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Ps. 143:8 NIV)
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Ps. 25:5 NIV)
[1] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
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