But as for me, I am like a
green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God
forever and ever. Psalm 52:8
Four
years after we moved to Sault Ste. Marie, we added another son to our family of
four. To give thanks for Peter John’s birth I ordered a Crimson King from a nursery and
had it planted in the front yard. A tree was exactly what our barren corner lot
needed.
The birth of a baby and the planting of the tree seemed
symbols of our decision to put down roots. (We stayed in the city for 31
years.) Like our son the tree flourished and grew to manhood. Today, I can open
google earth and see it standing tall, all forty feet of it, covered in rich
red leaves, watching over the old neighbourhood.
When we lived in that house situated at the entrance to the
sub-division, I prayed often for the families who lived there. The tree stands, not only to remind me how God blessed us with
another son, but as a testament to the many prayers that went up from that
location.
There is a time to plant, to put down roots and settle in for
the duration. After the flood, Noah cultivated the
ground; he planted a vineyard
(Genesis 9:20). Abraham planted a tree at Beersheba (Genesis 21:33). Isaac
planted crops (Genesis 26:12). Trees, crops and gardens are evidence of
God’s blessings, in the present and in the future.
Those who delight in God are likened to trees by
a river bank (Psalm 1:3), strong and lush with growth. Wherever God puts you,
be productive there. Grow in God's truth and grace. And plant a garden, a tree, or
even an inside plant, to signify you’re serious about blooming where you're planted.
Prayer: Lord, I may not be 100% happy with my
present living circumstances. Nevertheless, I commit to growing roots and
thriving for You in this place.
***
Rose McCormick Brandon is the author of
four books, including Promises of Home – Stories
of Canada's British Home Children, plus dozens of personal experience pieces, devotionals, short stories and
essays. Rose’s work has won awards in the personal experience and short essay
categories. A member
of The Word Guild and The Manitoulin Writers Circle, Rose and husband, Doug, summer on Manitoulin
Island where her pioneer ancestors settled and the home of his favourite
fishing holes. The rest of the year, they live in Caledonia, Ontario, near
their three children and three grandchildren.
3 comments:
Thank you Rose, for your thoughtful focus and application. Trees, gardens, agricultural tending and growth - all so analogous to life and especially our spiritual lives.
Crimson King . . . that was a new name to me. Having now checked it out, I realise that a parsonage we lived in for nine years had one (or one very much like it) in the front yard. I passed by that house recently and it is now quite a mature tree, too. ~~+~~
Peter, isn't it interesting how symbolic trees are? Often people point to them, as they do to people, and comment how they remember when it was only a twig. And how the Psalmist likened people who trust in the Lord to magnificent trees that flourish on river banks. How awesome to be compared to a tree in all its glory.
Yep. Psalm 1 is one of my favourites and its tree planted by the waters analogy. Now that I'm well into my senior years I particularly like the psalmist's analogising: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree . . . planted in the house of the Lord . . . They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green" (from Psa. 92:12-14). :) ~~+~~
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