Willows and Palms
“Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psalms 30:5
God gives strange instructions in Leviticus 23:40 . During one of the feasts, the high priest was to go in with two things in his hands to represent the people and to rejoice before the Lord. In one hand he was to have a palm branch and in the other a willow tree branch.
These two branches represent the mixture of life. The palm tree represents prosperity, victory, success, and joy. When you think of palm trees, you think of happy, sunny days and good times. In Jewish culture, palm trees represent victory. Then, on the other hand, you have the willow tree, which represents weeping, sad times, trials, and adversity.
Life is constantly either one of those trees or the other. You’re either having palm days during this particular season or willow days when tears are flowing, and things are tough. You are not going to have a palm tree life all the time. You have to learn to worship and rejoice whether you have a palm or a willow branch in your hand.
God was basically saying to His people, “Come to me and rejoice with both your good times and your bad times.” Whether you’re laughing or weeping or whether you are in plenty or in want, rejoice. Why would you do that? Because no matter which season you are in, God is the same. God does not change just because you are in a hardship or difficulty. He is faithful and good all of the time.
If you are only going to be happy in the palm days, you’re not going to be happy a lot, but if you would learn the secret of praising God in both the good times and the bad you will begin to walk in victory. There are two times where you are most vulnerable- the first is when you’ve got nothing, and the second is when you have everything. Just because you are seeing your family go through a difficulty or your health or finances aren’t good, it doesn’t mean that you’re out of the will or presence of God.
We feel like God is with us in times of blessing and success. But God wants you to learn that He’s also with you when you lose your job or get a bad doctor’s report. He’s the same God, and He will never leave you or forsake you. Paul learned to worship God when he was on top of the world and when his world seemed to be falling apart. Whether in a palace or a prison, he was content because God was with him. He learned that in His presence is fullness of joy. (Psalms 16:11)
In Romans 8:35-39 Paul says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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