The Acorn

When I was an intern in graduate school, I was fortunate to work with a department of work colleagues who were Christians, and we discussed our faith often at work. One of my co-workers gave me a birthday present in the fall of 1998 that I cherish to this day - a daily devotional with a treasure trove of quotes that I have bookmarked and revisit on a frequent basis.

My favorite quote from this 365 day devotional is The Acorn, written by Lyman Abbott, a pastor, magazine editor, and author who died in 1922:

I pluck an acorn and hold it to my ear, and this is what it says to me:  "By and by the birds will come and nest in me.  By and by I will furnish shade for the cattle.  By and by I shall provide warmth for the home.  By and by I shall be shelter to the storm to those who have gone under the roof.  By and by I will be the strong ribs of a great vessel, and the tempest will beat against me in vain, while I carry men across the Atlantic."

"O foolish little acorn, wilt thou be all this?" I ask.  And the acorn answers, "Yes, God and I."

This quote still sends shivers down my spine every time I read it. It demonstrates two key lessons for all of us in our walk with Him; first, the more obvious reminder that we need God's power and strength to accomplish our God-given dreams.  The acorn had the faith to see all that was possible in its life, but only by relying on God to accomplish what others see as impossible.

Next, the acorn was wise enough to realize that many of its dreams will come to pass "by and by."  The phrase "by and by" means "eventually," "ultimately," or "finally."  It takes time for an acorn to mature into a tree that can make the kind of impact this acorn dreamt about, and the acorn had the faith to be patient and wait for God's timing and its own spiritual maturity for his future promises to come to pass. 

What dreams do you have for your life?  Are there some dreams that seemed to have passed you by as life changed coursed and caused you to drift away from what was laid on your heart? Are you choosing to be like the acorn, who realizes that it can only accomplish the impossible through a partnership with God and his son Jesus Christ?  And are you willing to wait for God's "by and by", His perfect timing in seeing your dreams to completion?

Have the faith of this acorn, and you will be amazed at what God has in store for your unique life!

"With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale any wall." - Psalm 18:29

"Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” - Luke 13:18-19

-Adam Gellert

adamgellert.com