Tree Fascination

It all began in a garden with God, man and two specific trees.  The battle for our souls has been waged ever since.  Life versus knowledge of good and evil.  Two trees, luscious, tempting fruit. A pure relationship between Creator and created, tainted by the allure of the possibilities that something else better was there to relate to. 

I have always had a fascination with gardens and with trees in particular.  I often find myself wishing I had a camera in hand when gazing upon a magnificent, sturdy, weathered tree that has stood the test of time.  I think of the many storms the tree must have stood through and how much stronger it grew over the time it has been there. I want to capture the moment to remind myself of the beauty and strength I see.   I believe it is God reminding me that like this tree stretching its branches up to Him to reach the sunlight, I need to reach up to Him for His light and love radiating down to me to warm me, nurture me and give me food and strength.    It is like the tree is silently praising the Creator by its outstretched branches and so should I with outstretched arms. To stand there and be still and know He is God. 

I am equally fascinated by the fact that there are so many varieties of trees.  That there are no two trees exactly alike.  That each one has similar leaves but not all of them are the same.  That leaves are much like snowflakes.  This makes me think about how much leaves are like people; all different sizes, shapes and colors with no two exactly alike.  But when you really think on this further, you realize that all of them survive by staying attached to the tree and that no matter who we are we need to be attached to that tree, rooted in the ground, reaching up to the Light to survive. 

And then there are seeds.  Like leaves they are all different, no two exactly alike. Each tree has its own seeds and those seeds are programmed by the Creator to produce exactly the same type of tree they came from.  I think on how those seeds, are produced by fruit.  How the fruit is the means by which the seeds get planted.   What kind of fruit do we produce?  Galatians 5 tells us the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  What about the fruit that is not of the Spirit?  Do we have that too? It is interesting to consider fruit.  In Eden, one tree’s fruit gave the partaker life eternal.  The other tree’s fruit opened the mind to understand the evils of disobedience.  Which fruit do you yield in your life?   

 Something else I find intriguing about trees is that the part underneath the ground looks similar to the part you see above the ground.  A tree’s root system is a network of branches stretching out beneath the soil, feeding on the nutrients and water there.  I have been taught that the radius of branches a tree has above the ground is how extensive its root system is beneath the ground.  That its roots extend out as far and as deeply as its width and height above the ground.  I have seen massive trees, and cannot begin to imagine how massive their roots must be to hold them fast and sturdy.  This also makes me think on how if the soil isn’t sufficient how it will effect the growth of the tree.  Also how the top of the tree and the roots depend on each other to survive.

Look with me, in the days ahead, at some modern glimpses of parables of soils.  Pray and ponder as you do and let God work in your heart to reveal what He will and let Him change you.