THREE TREES

THREE TREES

1
Once stood a grove of trees
On a quiet hill feeling the breeze
Three young trees grew next to each other
They were friends and as close as brothers
Now since man's fall, he's heard God's voice rare
But nature remained true, not a sin to dare
So God's voice was heard loud and clear
And every word held true and dear
The Angel of the Lord appeared one fine day
The grove hushed to hear what he had to say
He approached three trees and said
"You are the three to which I was led.
Blessed are you among all treesI
Your strong branches and bright leaves please
The Lord you and I serve, for whom we care
So you three trees, our God will bare!"
To the first he said, "You shall bare His birth
You shall see our God come to bless the earth
You shall hold His tiny newborn form
And cradling Him, keep Him warm."
To the second he said,  "You shall bare His power
When all, even you, fear the darkest hour
Your strong wood shall bare His feet
As earth obeys His plans complete!"
Finally he turns to the third, compassion on his face
"You shall bare the promise fulfilled,  the saving Grace
It shall be the hardest task of all
Be thou faithful through your call"
Before parting the Angel said,  "Fear not!
You are young and strong, God never forgot
Remember all I said,  grow strong
The Time approaches, and is not long!"

II

But time for trees is different then for men
Forty years grew through seasons and wind
Those three trees grew strong and hale
Withstanding summer's sun and winter's gale
One day men appeared and cut the first tree down
He bid his brothers farewell from the ground
Stolidly he bore the pain as branches were cut
Wondering if he was to be, a cradle or what
Cut into planks he was shipped to a small town
Near a carpenter's home he was laid down
But not a cradle, his form was stranger
The once  proud tree was now a humble manger
Used in a stable,  so sad was his lot
Could the Angel be wrong,? Maybe He forgot
He gave His worries to God and moved on
Yet never far had the Angel's words been gone
One cold silent night, strangers rush in
A man and woman whose labor now begins
As the Manger watched, a tiny child was born!
Laid to rest in him, keeping Him warm!
A star lit up the sky, worshipping the child
The former tree was content and mild
For who has held God as he now does
For all his life, blessed he was

III

In the Grove, room trees still stand
Passing their lives, passing it grand
When once again the peace was destroyed
Many trees fell as axes were deployed
For the second tree it began much ad the first
Though taken further, the travel was worse
Having no idea what he might be
Dropped at last, in a village by the sea
Brought and shaped by a fisherman's care
Into a bout for his son to try and dare
To try and make a life on the raging sea
Much the same life as had he
Years rush by on Galilee,  the boat was glad
Seeing marvels like no dream he ever had
One day twelve mem join his master on the boat
Back and forth on the sea did they float
The men, and the boat,  listened to a young man
Telling tales of God and His master plan
He proved His stories and by His power
How God made plans for every hour
The boat listened, the boat thought
Remembering an Angel, like a dream forgot
He saw the storm arise, and his master sail
Right into the wind, and into the gale!
The wind and tide tore into the tiny boat!
The waves struck him, how to stay afloat?
On his planks he felt Him rise and stand
To the waves and wind, "Be still!" He commands
The seas instantly calm, not a ripple stirred
The boat realized whose voice he just heard
Who ever held God as he now does?
For the rest of his life, blessed he was

    IV

In the grove the third tree stood alone
Growing old, his very branches groan
He stood strong,  as a good tree should do
He stood strong, faithful, completely true
One day soldiers entered the grove
Testing every tree, twenty men strove
They felled only the strongest trees they find
To a wagon,these strongest trees they bind
The old tree so lashed was taken to a large city
Passing carts and houses wondering what he'd be
They stopped at a barracks, wood laying in the sun
So the trees stayed as each day was done
Sometimes the soldiers would drag one away
Where they went none would say
They weren't finely finished its true
But strong, solid, anything they could do
Late one night, or very early one d a y
Some soldiers dragged the third tree away
They cut about a third off, dragged the rest
To a hill outside the city, facing the west
The smaller third they bound to a bloody Man
What's happening? Wondered the tree, what's the plan?
Through the city, the Man stumbled and fell
Yet the soldiers dragged Him on as well
Finally the Man fell, and could stand no more
They grabbed a man passing to finish the chore
The beam was carried to where he was planted
Horrific realization of what was planned there
He felt the agony as Christ was nailed to his wood
Horrified he stood as only he could
He remembered the promise from so long ago
Could this be God's plan? He couldn't know
He heard the crowds laughing and mocking
Listened to the thieves and Jesus as they were talking
He was the first to realize that shaky breath
Meant Jesus  imminent coming death
The Cross thought, this can't be!
This Man can't  be He!
Why not? Asked the whisper of an angel above,
This is the depth and measure of Christ's love
This is the beginning not the end
A symbol of hope you'll become my friend
For by growing in strength and power
You can hold God in His darkest, yet brightest hour!
Paying the price for man, He can now forgive man
No power  of the enemy can thwart this plan
For God's come to earth, on you grace starts
For every man who let's Christ in their hearts
Upon the Cross the Lord let's out a yell
"IT IS FINISHED!" and a rush of air tells the tale
The Lord of Heaven and earth was truly dead
The Cross watched the Lord finally bow His head
In the darkness and earthquakes which follow
The Cross is amazed by the pain God will swallow
Just to love and save His Creation
Sinful men in every single nation
He continued to hold his Lord and Master
Till they lowered Him, dark falling faster
Whoever held God as he now does
For the rest of his life, blessed he was
AMEN