Genesis 1:11-12
This week we enter the month of September and we start thinking of Fall or Autumn. The leaves on trees begin to change color and age. My husband is walking the journey of Parkinson’s Disease and so the topic of aging and changing and declining in ability is “In my face.” What was once a vibrant, producing, and my mighty oak is loosing its leaves and I grieve.
So I am going to turn my devotionals to the topic of trees before we enter October and Halloween or Reformation month. My sister offered me some reflections that touched me. She started with the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life and the Tree of Good and Evil but let me go back to Genesis 1: 11,12.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.”… “And God saw that it was good.”
Trees are good! Several years back we lived in Minneapolis. We took a journey East for the graduation of our daughter-in-law. On arrival, we received a phone call saying a tornado had touched down in Minneapolis and in six seconds, swept six miles through our area uprooting 1,000 trees. Police were riding bikes and horses! Sidewalks were cracked as roots broke through. Our whole scenery was changed. Our world changed without trees to shade us. We felt vulnerable.
Think of one of your favorite trees. I love the talking tree in Lord of the Rings. What stories trees might tell of the lives lived under them. Perhaps you hung a swing from a favorite tree’s sturdy limb. Perhaps you enjoy its vibrant colors in fall. Or it might be a beautiful Christmas tree that is full of grace and promise that brings joy and peace to your heart. Can you list five words to describe your special tree? If you were a tree, what tree would you like to be? Take a moment to thank God for trees in your life and for people who have been like trees to you. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 