On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest (Ezekiel 17:23).

[Editor’s Note: We started writing this week’s Connect Devotionals when it appeared that we’d be in our new building on December 5.  We had decided to take a small break from our current sermon theme and re-visit our church’s “noble cedar” vision from Ezekiel 17. As you know, that opening date will need to slide a bit, but we felt that the re-visiting the noble cedar might refresh our hope as we await the final and official “opening of the doors” on Andrews Store Road!]

Birds are uniquely beautiful creatures! They come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and with so many different characteristics.

Have you ever noticed how a bird doesn’t build a nest in every tree that it lands on? They hop from tree to tree, trying to decide where to build their nest and where their new home is going to be. Birds also seem to not judge a tree on its height or how pretty it looks. All that matters is that it suits their needs for a good home.

In this passage, we are told about the most noble cedar tree. When we think of “noble,” we typically think of the words regal, strong, powerful, etc. However, I think this passage is using “noble” in a different way. It describes the cedar as “bearing branches and producing fruit,” which I take to mean that the most noble cedar is one that has the best “character” or “personality.”

While that may sound weird to say, I would like to step back, and compare this tree to a home. You may think, “How would a home have a personality?” Sweet, comforting, welcoming, charming, all of these words hopefully define the place we call home. That’s what makes a house, a home. If a house is bitter, uncomfortable, and unwelcoming, it can never be a home. 

Remember the cedar and all the different types of birds that nest in it? That noble cedar is the perfect home for every bird, not because of how it looks, but because of how sweet, comforting, and welcoming it is.

As we draw closer to opening the new church building, remember that it is not the appearance of the building that will make it feel like home. It is the atmosphere of kindness and hospitality that will make it feel like home. What is one way that you could help the new building feel like home to everyone, new to the church or not?

To read or re-read the overview/summary of this week’s passage, you can click here.