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He is speaking, not of a tree, but trees; a forest. He is likening Israel to a forest. It may be an olive-wood or a palm-wood, the oaks of Bashan or the cedars of Lebanon. Israel is the forest, God’s forest, planted by God, on God’s own hills and valleys. So also is the church; and each member is a tree in that forest. On that forest God has his eye; from its trees God comes seeking fruit. From the forest of Lebanon trees were once cut down for the temple; but this is for destruction, not for building nor ornament.

The Christian is a part of Christ, a member of His body. His every thought and word and deed proceeds from Christ, as the centre of volition. Thus he loves in the Lord, he hopes in the Lord, he boasts in the Lord, he labours in the Lord … He has one guiding principle in acting and in forbearing to act, μόνον ἐν Κυρίῳ (1 Cor. 7:39).

Verse 1

Come in, thou blessed of the Lord!
Enter in Jesus’ precious name;
We welcome thee, with one accord,
And trust the Savior does the same.

Verse 2

Those joys, which earth cannot afford,
We’ll seek in fellowship to prove,
Joined in one spirit to our Lord,
Together bound by mutual love.

Verse 3

And, while we pass this vale of tears,
We’ll make our joys and sorrows known;
We’ll share each other’s hopes and fears,
And count a brother’s case our own.

Verse 4

Once more, our welcome we repeat;
Receive assurance of our love;
Oh! may we all together meet,
Around the throne of God above.

Verse 1

Come in, beloved of the Lord,
Stranger nor foe art thou;
We welcome thee with warm accord,
Our friend, our brother, now.

Verse 2

The hand of fellowship, the heart
Of love, we offer thee:
Leaving the world, thou dost but part
From lies and vanity.

Verse 3

Come with us,—we will do thee good,
As God to us hath done;
Stand but in him, as those have stood
Whose faith the victory won.

Verse 4

And when, by turns, we pass away,
And star by star grows dim,
May each, translated into day,
Be lost and found in him.

We beseech Thee to bless us in our worship of this morning, and with like blessings draw near to all our brethren of every communion and tongue who on this day may be bowing their hearts before Thee. We beseech Thee that large blessings may come down upon praying souls. We beseech Thee that they may treasure the blessings which Thou dost bestow, and since Heaven’s gates are open may our gates not be shut.