Love Through Trees

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I couldn’t live where there were no trees – something vital in me would starve. ~ Anne of Green Gables
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I love coming across new evidence of God’s love for us.
I have always loved trees, have always felt much like Anne did about living without them, but the most I’d really thought about them in terms of their relation to God is what an amazing job He did in creating them.
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I recently listened to an interview with a couple of artists on Mars Hill Audio Journal.  It was only a minute or two of the entire segment, but they mentioned that after the human face and figure, trees are the main focal point for artists. Whenever there is a tree in a painting, it automatically draws the eye to it.
Why is that true?  One of their hypotheses was that it has something to do with our deep subconscious knowing that we need trees to survive, our knowing that we depend upon trees for life.  I wonder, though, if it is even deeper than that.
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My mind is drawn to the tree that God chose as our point of obedience.  We chose foolishly and we disobeyed.
My mind is also drawn to the tree that God chose as our point of redemption.  He chose beautifully and we were saved.
God has chosen trees for great purposes.  Did He have those purposes in mind as He created trees?  I wonder.
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Trees are often used in God’s Word to show strength and constancy.  One of my favorites is the Psalm that says that a man who delights in and meditates on God’s law is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season and whose leaves never wither.
I wonder.  And I imagine.
I can imagine that God knew that He would create Man to love images, to hunger after metaphors to help explain the unexplainable.
I can imagine that same God, before He ever spoke light into being, planning out His world to contain specific metaphors of meaning, just because He loves us.
I can imagine Him planning His trees to look a certain way, planning to use them in a particular manner, so that we would see them and draw meaning from them and be satisfied, just because He loves us.
Perhaps that is a stretch.  Perhaps it didn’t really happen that way.  But it seems like something that would be just like our God: to carefully plan out His creation in the way that would give His children the most joy.
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Wouldn’t that be just like Him?

Art credit: last photograph by Kirk Sewell (R K Sewell Photography)

edited from the archives

3 thoughts on “Love Through Trees

  1. I really enjoyed this post, and the gorgeous photos!! How special that you have your father’s talent for photographing nature! I’m like you, I have always thought trees were beautiful, but you are right, there is much more to why God created them. I hadn’t really thought about how many times God uses trees as metaphors. It’s really fascinating! This post got me thinking about what trees mean to me. My Dad works in forestry, and would sometimes take his kids, and now grandkids, to the woods. He would teach us about trees, and even let us help plant pine seedlings. So to me, trees represent strength and security. I have great memories of exploring the forests around our house, swinging from vines and building forts out of branches. Trees remind me of the imaginative play and wonder of childhood.

  2. Love this, Elizabeth! One of my favorites things is to ponder these kinds of thoughts. I love to think of God as He was creating and planning the universe. It has changed how I look at nature (and Him!). Things that He found beautiful and good, He must have known we would, too. He delights in us—and I can only imagine that He delights in us delighting in what He created for us—for our good. Thanks for this, friend. You’ve given me lots to think about. (I love trees, too. Some of my best memories involve trees!)

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