“How impossible it would be for man to force tons of water through solid wood. Yet every day this miracle is performed a thousand times as the sap rises in the tree” J. Oswald Sanders
Sap rises! Sanders drops this little nugget in a discussion of Philippians 2:12-13. He wants us to see that God’s power working in us is like sap rising in a tree.
Phil 2:12-13
work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Sap rises, slowly & steadily, against the natural downward pull of gravity. Maple sap flows at 90 drops a minute, 2-3 gallons a day. It’s a different pace than we may prefer, but make no mistake inside every living tree on this planet sap is rising.
What turns water into sap?
Xylem. The best known Xylem tissue is wood. Xylem is derived from the Greek word for wood (xylon)
What causes Sap to rise?
Two Forces: Transpirational pull & Root pressure.
It is also referred to as the Cohesion-tension theory.
The Key to the release of the resurrection power of God in our lives is to keep our heart focus on “the wood” – the finished work of Jesus on the wooden cross & his atoning blood. The two pressures required are God working in us & us working out our salvation with reverence, awe and trembling. Separation from sin(tension), union with Christ(cohesion). The water of God’s word is transformed into the power of God in our lives, only when the pressures of this world turn us to the cross of Christ. As we continue to learn how to more completely identify with Jesus in his death, we have greater access to the fullness of his mighty strength. Jesus then causes his blood to become spirit, and life, and power, and truth in our lives. It’s like water becoming wine or even sap.
Psalm 104:14-16
14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth,
15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to make his face shine,
And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap,
In Psalm 104 we are given a beautifully poetic summary of the manifold dimensions of the wisdom & works of God. Almost in the middle of the Psalm we are shown the necessary provisions God has made for the wellbeing of men. Wine to make the heart glad, oil to make the face shine & bread to strengthen man’s heart. Wine, Oil & Bread metaphorically speak of the elements of our spiritual communion with Christ. “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you”. Eat the fruit from the Tree of Life. Only as we are united with Christ in his crucifixion & death can we be united in His tappable resurrection power. Union with Jesus causes the sap to rise & flow and as a result, the trees of the Lord are full of sap!
Not sure about you? but, I will never look at a tree the same way again.