To Please the Master...

Remember Aaron's rod that was placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony, forever surrounded by the presence of God.  The rod, as stated in the book of Hebrews, is forever in a place that few items have attained to;  the Tabernacle which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.  What a place of honor!  But...it wasn't always that way for Aaron's rod.

In the beginning of the existence of Aaron's rod - it wasn't a rod at all, but an almond tree planted by its master. It was just a twig, a sapling.  The master of the field planted it and carefully tended to it each week.  The little almond tree struggled to grow and produce fruit but these things don't happen quickly, it takes time to produce fruit, a strong root structure must be developed first.  This takes lots of moisture and much time. 

It seemed to the little tree that it would take forever, nevertheless, the tree decided that it was going to be the best and biggest almond tree around and it would produce the best crop of almonds...because you see; he just wanted to please his master.  Finally, he burst through the ground and began to grow strong and tall.  When the sunlight appeared that year it began to activate the buds and stems and leaves.  He was sure that this year would be his year to produce fruit. 

The master came by and checked on the now strong tree, he paid special attention to his roots and bent it to make sure it was strong.  And it was.  Then without warning, the master took his ax and chopped the little tree at the very root.  The almond tree was astonished and could not figure out what he had done wrong.  All he wanted was to be the best almond tree, and to please his master. 

If that wasn't bad enough, the master then broke off each branch and stripped off all the leaves, the little almond tree was left bare, reduced to nothing but a stick.  Then it got even worse, the master began to peel away the bark from the almond tree.  The bark, you see, protects the heart of the tree; it is its covering, its protection.  It helps the tree keep its moisture and remain healthy. 

Then the master lay what was left of the tree in the hot sun.  Each day, the almond tree hoped his master would graft him back in, but he never did.  One day the master declared that the almond tree was now ready; he picked it up and began walking with it, leaning on it for strength. 

Now the almond tree understood - he was no longer an almond tree - now he was a staff, a rod.  So he decided that he could accept this change of plans and he would be the best rod ever for his master.  There he was, stripped down to nothing, dried out beyond repair and laid in the hot sun, only to become something that someone else could lean on...but that was okay with him.  Yes, his dream of being a great and awesome almond tree had to die but he still simply wanted to please his master.  He lived to please his master.

For years, he gave his master strength and walked with him through many roads.  He had surrendered to his masters need and had grown to enjoy his existence.  Then one day, in a meeting with other masters, he was thrown into a pile with all the other rods and left without the company of his master.  A man came along and picked up all the rods and placed them in a dark room. 

And the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father's house, all their leaders according to their fathers' houses--twelve rods. Write each man's name on his rod. And you shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi.  For there shall be one rod for the head of each father's house.  Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the testimony, where I meet you and it shall be that the rod of the man I choose will blossom. Numbers 17

Once again the rod finds himself in a dark place, wondering what in the world he did to deserve this.  He lay there in the dark for hours among the other rods that were discarded, wondering what was going on and if he would ever get out of this dark place and see his master again.  Suddenly he felt something happening, something growing from within him.  He said 'it is impossible, I haven't had branches or blossoms for many years, I have had no moisture to grow, nor sun to produce fruit, it is impossible.'  But as morning broke, everyone could see that the almond rod of Aaron had blossomed and bloomed and produced fruit - in an impossible situation and in just a few short hours.  It was, just as God said it would be.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Life doesn't always turn out the way we expect it to. We may have one goal in mind and God have a different one. We may think we are headed in one direction when the wind changes and we go in another direction in our life. Like the little olive tree, we must adjust to flow with the changes that God orchestrates in and for us. For He knows the best plan for us.


 Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.