Daily Devotions
The Healing Tree
Reading for December 28th: Revelation 9-12
Weekly reading for December 27-31: Revelation 17-22
The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:2
The book of Revelation ends with this picture of heaven coming down to earth in the form of New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ (Rev 21:2). This is a fitting ending to the Bible story. The presence of God left the garden at the beginning (Gen 3), and now the presence of God has returned to dwell among men (Rev 21:3). After a period of darkness, the light of God is now illuminating the nations once again (Rev 21:23-24).
Not only do the nations have light, but they have healing. The tree of life is pictured for us as a healing tree. Access to the tree was removed, and the earth suffered under the curse. But now the Lamb has removed the curse and brought healing into the world.
I think it is important to see that we are this city that brings light and that we are the conduit through which God brings healing. In our own unique way and in the small corner of the world where each one of us lives, we bring light into this dark world (Mt 5:14-16). Each one of us produces fruit (Gal 5:22-23) and we offer healing to those who are still suffering from sin (Isa 61:3).
With this in mind, I offer this prayer for you to pray (believed to be written by Francis of Assisi):
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
