But the godly will flourish like palm
trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. –Psalm 92:12 (NLT)
Most of us are aware of two of the biggest species of trees on the earth:
the Giant Sequoias and the Redwoods.
Here are a few brief but fascinating facts about these giants:
They can grow to over 300 feet tall.
They can live for several THOUSAND
years!
They weigh upwards of 500 tons (1
million pounds).
Their bark can be anywhere from 12-36
inches thick.
As impressive as all of this is, I found some other research that was
even more amazing and helped to inspire this blog:
The Giant Sequoias rely on fire to
survive- both to destroy competing vegetation and to help promote seed release
from their cones.
The trees produce a substance known
as tannin, which helps protect the bark from fire, bug attacks, and disease.
The root system of the Redwood is
very shallow, despite the trees massive height and weight. They survive by
entangling with each other beneath the ground- thus holding each other upright.
So what can we, as followers of Christ, learn from these natural wonders?
Let’s see:
We too often need to endure “fires” in our life to draw closer to God.
Competition for the “Son’s” light in our lives (such as worldly wants, desires,
and lusts) need to be destroyed first so we can grow. Also, despite the fact
the trials/fires aren’t always pleasant when we’re going through them;
sometimes new life must begin through the ashes. (See 1Pet 4:12-13 & 5:10)
Just like the tannin, which protects, we must DAILY put on the full armor
of God to protect us against fires, attacks, and spiritual “disease”. (Eph 6:10-18)
We must rely on other believers as well to help hold us up when we feel
like falling. This could be in any form
of accountability, mentorship, and/or fellowship. (Ecc 4:9-12)
Finally, and probably most important of all, is the Redwood’s ability to
regenerate itself to continue existence.
Here is a portion of an article I read recently:
One of the keys to the survival of
the Redwood is its regenerative abilities. One of the regenerative capabilities
of the Redwood involves the burl. A burl is made up of dormant Redwood stems,
and is covered in bark. A burl grows when a Redwood is cut, damaged, injured,
or diseased. A burl is a lumpy outgrowth from the tree’s trunk, often at its
base. Saplings may sprout from these burls. The trees which result from growth
originating in a burl are genetically identical to the original tree.
Jesus tells us in Matt 7:17 that “a good tree bears good fruit”. Therefore, if we are walking solid with the
Lord and within His statutes, the natural byproduct will be another generation
of strong Christian disciples, including our own children; thus, ensuring our
legacy and impact on the world- even after we’ve left this life for the
next.
