“Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place on their own accord.” J.I. Packer

The book of Ezekiel has a common thread: know that the LORD alone is God.

He lists a number of events that when they occurred, the observer would know it was the LORD doing them and it was time to put their faith in the LORD, not themselves or other gods.

One of those events was that a Temple would be built where each gate to the Inner Court had a picture of a palm tree.

Why a palm tree? Ancient Hebrew used picture symbols, which eventually evolved into the letter symbols used today, which was another way – a dead language coming alive – for people to know that the LORD alone is God.

The word for palm tree has three picture symbols – a cross symbolizing a monument, a squiggly line symbolizing water, might or blood, and the head of a man symbolizing the head, first or beginning.

Isn’t interesting that Jesus died on a cross where He shed both water and blood as the head of creation to cleanse humanity of their sins and to bring them into the presence of the Father, who was enthroned above the Ark in the first Temple?

Is it any wonder that Jesus calls Himself a gate in John 10:9 and said, “I am the way, the truth, the life and no one comes to the Father but through Me” in John 14:6?

Wait there is more! Ancient Israeli palm trees produced sweet dates! Want sweetness in your life? Jesus as God is the path to know God where sweetness is found and life’s challenges seem to melt into the background.

This means believing that Jesus died on the cross by shedding His blood and water to cleanse you from all your mistakes, even the tiniest of them, so you can enter the presence God today and one day to be home in heaven.

Haven’t done that yet? Take a moment right now to tell Jesus that you are transferring trust from yourself in doing more good than bad to Him and His death and resurrection to give you that sweet life today, tomorrow into eternity.

Done that already? Take faith steps each day to know your Father and the sweetness He has for you. His sweetness invigorates in a life sucking world.