Monday, April 7, 2025

Beautiful Trees

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

I love trees. When nothing makes sense in life, I find myself staring at the trees. They are beautiful with leaves and beautiful without. Lately I look at the bare trees of winter and find myself thinking that if we could see underground, a tree's top might almost be a mirror image for all the roots underground that we cannot see. Jeremiah 17:7-8 compares us to trees when we build our lives upon God's promises.

So much in our world doesn't make sense, but when we ground our roots in God's word, it doesn't matter so much what goes on in the world. Things can happen in the world, yet we can be firmly planted, "remain green" and "bear fruit" in spite of whatever cultural "droughts" are raging around us.

My Great Aunt Neva loved this poem. She left us this past May at the age of 102. She had deep roots, and she bore much beautiful fruit. Like the trees she loved, she was a beautiful creation, teaching many to love and appreciate God's creation.

Trees

Trees are the kindest things I know
The do no harm, they simply grow
And spread a shade for sleepy cows
And gather birds among their boughs.
They give us fruit in leaves above
And wood to make our houses of
And leaves to burn on Halloween
And in the spring new buds of green.
They are the first when day's begun
To catch the beams of morning sun
They are the last to hold the light
When evening changes into night.
And when a moon floats on the day
They hum a drowsy lullaby
Of sleepy children long ago
Trees are the kindest things I know.

    - Harry Behn

Prayer:
Dear God, help us to send our roots deep by trusting in your promises and clinging to your word. Amen

Sandy Cameron