Trees

I'm really starting to like trees

I work at a ski resort, and see them all around me as I do my job. In the mountains, they're everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. There's too many to count. There's so many that if I look off into the distance and pick one out from far off, There's a great chance that no one in history has ever looked specifically at that one tree before. It's been buried so deep in a sea of green siblings (er.. saplings?) that it's been blended into a seeming insignificance.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize the value of these single trees. These trees that are so common, they can't be forgotten because they were never before remembered in the first place. Though existing in innumerable abundance, each one says wonders about the truths of the reality of God.

God loves trees, and I really believe that's why the planet is filled with so many of them. Just look at the Bible. Straight from the beginning, we see God having special joy with them. In fact, they were of the first life He created on the Earth (Gen 1:11). In honor of the creation of man, God blesses his work by planting a special garden full of especially beautiful trees (Gen 2: 8-9). In this garden He forms two unique trees; The tree of Life, and the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Both of these trees, of course, play a huge role in the future of mankind.

It doesn't stop there though. In fact, God uses trees for just about everything. After Adam and Eve sin, they try to cover themselves with leaves of a tree (Gen 3:7). The Noah's Ark was made with a tree (Gen 6: 15-16), and so was Solomon's temple (1 Kings 6: 9-10). We see the bloodlines of future generations laid out by God referred to as sacred roots (Isaiah 11:10 ). We even have Jesus die on a tree to fulfill prophesy (Deut 21:22, Gal 3:13). We even have a tree take part in the promise of the New Jerusalem (Rev 22:2). There's over thirty different kinds of trees mentioned in the bible, and throughout it's entirety. It's obvious that God wants us to pay some sort of attention to them.


So, what do they tell us? Well, I'm obviously not an expert on trees, just and enthusiast. But I have a few ideas. Below are some of my thoughts on them:


Trees bear through the seasons.

We see trees go through a wide range of weather. They start out in the spring along with an abundance of new life all around them. Spring is easy for a tree most of the time, and sun and nutrients are in abundance. As if in celebration, they grow upward and stretch out their arms. Over time though, Summer passes and Fall hits. Blasted with wind, the trees are suddenly hit with hardship. They know how to suffer well though, and become the most beautiful during this time. As they begin to die, they show dazzling colors that are much brighter and spectacular than their former spring green. Finally in winter, they let death take them. Though dead, they are not gone. They know spring will hit again, and rebirth will take place. They know there will again come a time to reach out and enjoy the sunlight.

We should be like this. We should rejoice with all we have in times of abundance. We should recognize the beautiful picture our suffering makes. We should understand that death is not the end, and that life will reach us again.

Jesus was nailed on a tree. Much like how animals had to be killed for Adam and Eve to be clothed after their sin, a tree must die for us to be clothed in righteousness. Jesus is the tree, and a tree had to be cut to nail him.


Trees seek light

Trees don't just sit there and get light. Sure, it happens anyway from time to time, but for the most part, they have to spend all their effort reaching up toward the light. Our walk is the same way, sometimes we'll randomly get hit by a patch of light and get to bask in its warmth. Most of the time though, we have to reach for God with all we can, and trust that he's still shining down on us. We shouldn't be discouraged when we haven't had that. It doesn't mean we're drifting away. It just means there's some shade for now. If we keep reaching for Him, we'll feel the sunlight on our skin again.


Trees are unique

No two trees are alike. And there's a lot of them. There are over 50 trees for every one person on the planet. Over 400 billion trees, and each is one of a kind.

Trees have a purpose. that little tree I saw might have been waiting its whole life for the one god glorifying moment of me noticing it.

standing firm always. they stand firm, but they technically don't do anything. they have to wait for things to come to them. we're no different.