VFJ: A tree in God’s Kingdom!

It was the summer of 1980, and Patrizia and I, with our 3 years old little girl, Chiara, had come from our mission field of Bangladesh to Italy for a little furlough, and we were camping in a caravan by Lago Maggiore, one of the big lakes in the north of our country. Together with us were two other young couples with their little ones, each with their own caravan, and they were hungry for God’s Word. We were sitting by the lake, under a tree, and I was teaching them a little Bible Study, when suddenly the Lord brought my attention to this passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13: 31,32)

As I was reading, I felt deep emotions swelling within me, so I closed My eyes and I saw a vision of a tree that was growing very deep roots in the ground, and these were absorbing all kinds of minerals from the soil. Although it was an invisible work hidden from the human eye, the visible result was that the tree grew strong and tall, until it became a shelter for the birds of the air that were coming to lodge in its branches and make their nests there.

When I opened my eyes, I again saw the faces of these two young couples that were sitting there, listening to what I was teaching them from God’s Word, and the Lord told me:

“See? These are like the birds that are seeking shelter in My Kingdom, and you are like a tree that is growing tall to provide branches for them to lodge in! Continue to grow deep roots in the soil of My Word, and you will grow like a tall tree in My kingdom that will give shelter to many of My birds who seek refuge from the storms that are coming!”

Surely enough, shortly after that those two couples decided to come with us to the mission field, together with their children, and they spent a few years doing missionary work with us, both in Peru, as well as Bangladesh.

Like them, many others have followed us in missionary work throughout the years, but I had completely forgotten about that vision until last week, while talking to Dr. Randy Peck, who is coaching me in the use of the Web. We were talking about the improvements that could be made in my blog, when he showed me the cover of one of his eBooks, and I again felt the emotion of many years ago, when the Lord gave me that vision and spoke to me those prophetic words:

“Continue to grow deep roots in the soil of My Word, and you will grow like a tall tree in My Kingdom that will give shelter to many of My birds who seek refuge from the storms!”.

All of God’s children have the opportunity to grow deep roots in Christ, and the soil of God’s Word, in order to become like the tree of this vision above:

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6,7)

Blessed is the man… who’s delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalms 1:1-3)