A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse April 6, 2018 Wild or Planted Scripture Reading – Psalm 1:3a (NLT) "They are like trees planted along the riverbank..." 

Thirty - Six years ago the most wonderful thing happened to me. I was wed to my wife, the love of my life. I remember as a newly married couple the great adventure of setting up a new home. We rented my Nono's (Grandpa in Italian) house from my dad, and began the task of renovating.

Painting, putting down new carpets, getting furniture and setting up ourselves in our new (to us) home. It was so exciting.

One thing that my bride had wanted was for us to have a hedge of Cedar trees, like so many others in the neighborhood. Being the thrifty husband that I was and realizing that we would need twenty or more trees at a cost of $15 per. tree, I had what I thought was quite a bright and economical idea.

My dad belonged to a hunt club, and I decided to go on their acreage and pick out the trees one time as we were out hunting. It was so exciting for me as I picked out each one with care, being sure they were the same size and of course type. I couldn't wait to get them home and plant our cedar hedge.

And that's exactly what I did, and I must add to the thankfulness of my beautiful bride. But when I had planted the hedge and looked at other hedges in our neighbourhood, I realized there was one immediately noticeable problem. It did not have to do with my spacing, or the line in which I planted these three foot cedars. No - the problem I needed to consider was whether my bride desired, 'Wild or Planted', trees, of which I had the latter. And although they were about the same height - they looked....scraggly. None the less my bride was thankful for the effort, and we cared for them as best as we could.

For you see a group of planted trees are raised up from seedlings, and tended carefully. If one needs some extra care or fertilizer, it is given. When pruning takes place it allows the trees to grow to be uniform and certainly beautiful to behold.

And you and I also are, beautiful to behold, as we are no longer wild trees, but those who are of the planting of the Lord. He plants us along His river and tends and cares for us with expert care. Watering, fertilizing and yes, even pruning when necessary. And all this, so together we would demonstrate the beautiful body of Christ here on this earth for His eternal glory, honour and praise. 

Prayer Father we are truly the planting of the Lord. Thank-You for tending me, nurturing me and even pruning me. Be glorified in my life today in Jesus name I pray. 

Memory Verse:  Acts 3:15 NLT “You _______ the ________ of life, but God ________ him from the ______. And we are ____________ of this fact!”