Lasting Impressions
December 1st, 2008“Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 34And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines” (Genesis 21:33-34).
Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant. As soon as they do, Abraham plants a tamarisk tree. He then lives in their land for a long time. Perhaps it was here that Isaac was born.
The Tamarisk tree is a hearty tree which is well suited for the desert climate. Its trunk grows about 12 inches every 500 years. It provides shade for travelers as it grows slowly in the desert. But, why do you suppose Abraham chose this tree to plant?
Perhaps one of the things that Abraham intended was to use the tree as a symbol of the “everlasting God” and of the oath between the Philistines and himself. This slow growing hard wood would last for generations. People would see the tree and remember their covenant and Abraham’s God.
Perhaps Abraham leaves his legacy in the tree and his son. God had made a covenant with him that involved many years to come to completion. It was a covenant that involved blessings for others. We know that Messiah would come through Abraham to bless the world. It was not a short-term event; it took generations before the fullness of time came.
The covenant God has made with us is not an overnight process. The development of fruit in this covenant in our lives takes time. The good news is that it lasts for years. What seeds are we planting?
Keep The Light Burning!
Perry Greene
