The ideas for the posts I write for this blog come to my mind in various ways. This post came from the photo to the right. I took the picture several years ago and only remembered it recently. I took the picture because I found it remarkable that another seed had taken root in the ancient remains of a stump. I do not know what event happened to remove the original tree from standing beside the stream. Whatever that event was, the conditions are now right for another tree to grow on that old stump’s remains.
Looking at that photo, the words of scripture came to my mind, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 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.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NRSV)
When we live in God’s shadow, we find the proper conditions for growth. Growth is not always comfortable because it requires change. Growing does not mean that we leave God’s shadow; instead, we draw even more on God’s resources for us there. We will have the strength to stand during life catastrophes, even when we do not understand why things happened.
I have found that the disasters of life today provide the foundation for growth tomorrow. When the incident happened that left the stump, I doubt anyone saw the possibility of a new tree in the old remains. However, without the first tree’s death, it was impossible to imagine a young tree growing in the same spot.
When I review my life, I see many experiences. Some of those I wish had never ended, and others that seemed like fiascos. During some, it seemed like there would not be even a stump left. Yet as I look at the ashes and rot of the experiences of years now long past, I realize that I have the foundation and resources to grow today in preparation for tomorrow’s tasks.
When things go wrong, it does not necessarily mean that we have left God’s shadow. Sometimes problem areas of our lives have to be polished or removed to allow for something better. A pile of junk and broken glass surrounded by a very weathered, rough sawn, wood slab fence occupied a portion of my property when I bought it. I tore this eyesore down and turned most of the area into part of the yard. I built a new pole building with steel siding on the rest of that area. It went from being an eyesore to adding value to the property. The change brought an increase in value. When God sets about changing us, it is to increase our value to Him. He never attempts to cause our spiritual death. He makes the changes so we can see new growth and be more firmly rooted in His shadow.
My grandfather died 13 years ago. As a World War II veteran, he participated in the Allied invasion of Italy. While it was rare for him to talk about the war, I loved to hear his stories. He knew what it was to lose leaders and buddies in battle. He received three purple hearts and knew what it was to be wounded. He and his generation witnessed and fought against the devastation and horrors perpetrated by the Axis forces, providing freedom for us today. I remember him telling me, “I would not accept any replacement for those experiences, but I do not want to relive them either.” He was a giant in my mind. Grandpa helped me to realize that no generation can step into leadership without previous generations stepping down. When we think the older generation is being hard on us, they are trying to prepare us for the difficult times they know will come into our lives. While I still miss him, the things he taught me about living in God’s shadow have provided some of the foundations I have today.
God does the same thing. He uses each experience and challenging time to prepare us for the future. No one gets to a position of strength and preparation without going through hard times. I had often joked that when I graduated from college, both the college and I were relieved. Yet, I find the things I learned there very beneficial to me today. I have an attitude like my grandpa, I would not want to go to college full time again, but I am very thankful for my education. I could not see the seeds being planted in my life by God when I was battling my way through my courses. Those seeds have turned into the trees in my life today. I did not understand that God was providing the way for those seeds to grow. He supplied a well-watered environment that would allow life experiences beyond my most fantastic imaginations.
When we choose to pursue God and live in His shadow, we can rest in the knowledge that He will plant us in the area where we will grow the best. Provided we continue to look to God and pursue Him, we can be sure He will keep us growing like a tree growing beside a stream. (Jeremiah 17:7-8) God’s goal is to develop us spiritually strong and healthy as an example to everyone around us. When we are strong and healthy, others look to us as a place of security and strength. Living strong and healthy allows us to invite others to join us living in God’s shadow.