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Jeremiah 17:8 They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. Psalm 1: 1-3 1Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! 2Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on God’s teaching day and night. 3They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper. Jeremiah 17:8 and Psalm 1:1-3 are favorite passages for me, and both are appointed for our worship service this week. They are very evocative. As I plant trees or tend the ones in my garden I am reminded of these words. When I climb to an overlook on Pincushion and can see the telltale dark green line of cedar tops winding their way in the canopy of the trees, indicating the stream below, I think of these passages. Thinking of the trees sending out roots by the streams of good water invites us to feel the visceral connection to God that we all need. The image of a tree is an image of something enduring and strong in any land and among every people. And the image of roots reaching into streams of water signals that even the strength of the tree is vulnerable. The tree cannot exist on its own. The trees obviously need the nourishing moisture, just as we need the nourishing presence of God. We cannot exist on our own. Without enough water the tree is weakened; stressed too long and the enduring tree will die. Without that same nourishing “stream” of God’s love we are like a shrub in the desert. What an image to contemplate.
This past year we have heard of, and we have witnessed terrible droughts followed by tragic wildfires across the globe. Our hearts go out to those who have lost homes and loved ones in California and Colorado and other places. In the northern forests of Minnesota and Canada we have seen many instances of drought and fire. Even in areas where we were spared a fire, we can see the ill effect on many trees. And I fear for them, and I grieve those that have been lost.
We are connected to the life of trees. We are earthlings together. I’d like to say that we need each other; but the truth is that we need trees more than they need us. And so, I am very grateful to them. There is so much wisdom we gain from trees. There are these beautiful Biblical images, poetic proverbs of our reliance on God of course. But there also more recent ecological studies that have revealed how trees are interconnected, communicate, and cooperate. Dare I call that an epiphany? The studies revealing the amazing symbioses trees have with fungi, microbes, and other species ought to give everyone pause to marvel at God’s handiwork. As we seek to understand more deeply, we learn that most of these relationships occur under the living soil, while others happen on the surface of the trees and leaves. The intricate enmeshing of life forms reveals that all earthlings need each other, and that God obviously brought all this into a shared pattern of being. Living together, seeking harmony, and finding mutual benefit are the truths these epiphanies in forests reveal.
These epiphanies are a delight to the mind and soul. The life of trees is something to meditate on day and night. God has provided not only an image in the holy book of scripture for us to meditate upon; God provides the trees in the living book of nature, trees that sequester carbon, shade grazing lands, provide oxygen, and renew our spirits every time we snowshoe, ski, or walk among them. I hope the trees in your life inspire you as they do me to be planted and rooted in God.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Reverend Mark Ditmanson of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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