Looking Up

Whenever life becomes overwhelming I go outside and stand under my maple tree and look up.  Whether it is day or night, sunshine or rain, I always gain courage by standing under my maple.

I look past the tall trunk and through the upward reaching limbs and gaze at the timeless sky. Knowing that under this sky the human story has unfolded for generations; it has been the canopy of our existence as a species.

Trees, one of God’s earliest creations that have a key role in our Christian faith.  Dr. Matthew Sleeth in his book Reforesting Faith, writes, “Other than God and people, the Bible mentions trees more than any other living thing.  There is a tree on the first page of Genesis, in the first psalm, on the first page of the New Testament, and on the last page of Revelation.  Every significant theological event in the Bible is marked by a tree.  Whether it is the fall when Eve shared the apple with Adam, the Flood, or the overthrow of Pharaoh, every major event in the Bible has a tree, branch, fruit, seed, or some part of a tree marking the spot.

Jesus himself declared that the kingdom of heaven is like a tree (Matthew 13:31-32).  The only thing that Jesus ever harmed was a tree (Mark 11:12-14, 20-21), and the only thing that could harm him was a tree.  After Jesus was resurrected, he was mistaken for a gardener (John 20:15).  This was not a mistake.  Jesus is the new Adam who has come to redeem all of creation. Heaven is a place where the leaves of a tree heal all the nations (Revelation 22:1-2).  As if to underscore this forest of metaphors, Jesus’ last “I am “statement is “I am the root and the descendant of David” (Revelation 22:16).

From Genesis to Revelation God has blazed a trail of trees through the Bible.”

Even during these “safe at home” pandemic days we still can gain strength from trees.  If you have a tree in your yard then pay it a visit and to gain the full extent of its grounding power one must lean on its trunk or run their hands along one of its limbs.  I know it must sound silly, but by holding onto a limb, even for a moment, is like holding the hand of an old, wise and calming presence in the universe.

If you do not have a tree then go online and search pictures of trees and let the beauty of these ageless creatures carry your soul heavenward.   Sometimes, there is only one way to look and it is up; let the trees show you how.

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel