by My Dad should like this post. Anyone who knows my Father, knows he loves trees and because of his love for trees, I also cherish trees and the beauty they add to our world. I hate to cut down a tree. I’ve had to do this a few times in my life and for some reason it always brings such a sorrow that I can’t explain. I think it is because of the thought of how long it took that tree to grow. If we compare trees to Christians, it is just as sad and more so, when a Christian who has walked in the truth of God’s Word – falls.
Flowers and trees give grace to a world that is filled with much turmoil and hate, especially hatred towards the things of God. However, God still fills our world with such a stunning creation that no one will be without excuse. People can despise God all they want; but every time they look at a tree and smell a flower, they are enjoying something in God’s creation.
Recently, I was studying and comparing our Christian spiritual growth to the growth of trees. I sincerely enjoyed this study about trees, and I pray others will as well.
Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
First let’s look at characteristics of all trees. There are certain traits that every tree process:
- Trees have a drip line. Their roots go out far to the ends of their branches. When watering a tree, you don’t water at the trunk but from the trunk all the way to where the branches end. As they grow, their branches go out further and further, so their roots go out further and further for nourishment.
Christians should continue to grow and reach out their roots deep into God’s Word and glean more and more nourishment from the Lord as they grow.
- Trees have rings for each year’s growth. If you cut down a tree, you can count the rings to tell the age of the tree. Some yearly rings are wide for much growth in a year and some rings are very narrow for little growth. Usually, the smaller rings were years of drought and the tree didn’t grow as much, but it still grew a little. Every year there is some growth even if it is small.
Christians can grow each year as well, even if it is just a small amount. Keep growing for the Lord.
- Trees need nourishment. They need water, fertilizer, and sunshine.
Christians need nourishment. They need church, Bible reading, prayer, Christian fellowship, etc. if they are going to continue to grow. Take all these away from a Christian and he will shrivel up and die.
Now, let’s look at a few specific trees and their unique qualities:
Psalm 92:12 “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”
Psalm 52:8 “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God…”
- The palm tree is stable, resists tropical storms, and has deep roots. It bends all the way to the ground during cyclones/hurricanes and it doesn’t break off or become uprooted.
Christians should not pull up their roots and run away at approaching storms. They should be strong during troublesome times and difficulties in life. They should grow deep roots and pull nourishment from God’s word in difficult times, so they don’t become uprooted and die during difficulties.
- The cedar tree is dependable, firm, solid, strong, and extremely long-lived. According to google, there is a cedar tree in Wisconsin over 1,300 years old and some in Lebanon over 3,000 years old.
Christians need to be dependable to God, to their Pastor, and their church. They need to be long-lived in their Christian walk and not give up and quit. If God can give the cedar tree strength to grow for thousands of years, he can give us the strength to grow as well. So, keep growing, even if it is in small amounts – grow for the Lord.
- The green olive tree is useful, relied upon for its fruit, and does well where it is planted. All Christians are useful. Some may say, “I can’t do anything for the Lord.” If one can pray – then pray. Some may not have the physical ability to do much in the church, but I love my prayer warriors that I can depended upon to pray for me each day.
Christians need to do well where God has planted them. Stop looking at other churches and thinking they have something better. Stop thinking, “the grass is greener” somewhere else. Stay put where God has you and grow for the Lord. *Unless there are doctrinal issues, but that is another post for another time by a Preacher. For now, grow where God has put planted you.
Jeremiah 17: 7-8 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
Simple summary of a few things we can apply to our Christian lives as a result of studying trees in God’s creation:
- Spread your roots out deep and far into God’s Word to strengthen you for your walk through the storms of life.
- Never fear when the heat of trials come in life.
- Year-after-year grow, produce fruit, and be faithful where God has placed you. Keep growing for the Lord.
Stay, grow and bloom where God establishes you and you “shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
