Of Trees and Forests

       

       The trees in the forest surrounding our house are swaying gently in a light breeze today. A few days ago I looked out and they were bending in unison in a stiff wind. Trees also surround my lake house, but not nearly as thickly as our forest here at home. Still, they are more than a few, and very tall. Not long ago, during a stormy season, I called our local "tree man" to look at my trees at the lake to make sure they were not threatening my house (or a neighbor's) in any way. A couple of years ago, you see, a huge pine had blown down across our driveway in a big wind, fortunately missing houses, cars, and people. I wondered if they needed further thinning. Mike told me my trees were stable and strong, and most interestingly he recommended I NOT thin my "forest" because, he said, they support each other, so they're safer together.

      What a lesson for God's people! A quick search on Bible Gateway just now revealed 387 occurrences of the word "together" in the New International Version, 469 in the King James. The short letter Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus contains some wonderful examples, most notably,

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:16 NIV)

      Think about how many congregations floundered when the Covid epidemic hit, and how many people have never gone back to church once out of the habit for several months. Have you struggled to return, finding it much easier to continue watching on-line from your comfortable couch in your pajamas? (NOTE: I am not in the least demeaning those who aren't physically able to attend, whether with health issues or compromised immune systems. I am one of those!) Yes, it is possible to worship from home-- I do it every Sunday and many days in between. Yet there is something about raising our voices together to read God's Word or sing His praises that can't be replicated alone. There's something about the fellowship of believers that is strengthening, just like the trees. We need each other; we are meant for community. 

      Remember Moses leading the children of Israel in battle against the Amalekites? All he had to do was hold up his arms, while Joshua led the troops. Have you tried holding up your arms for an entire day? Even a few minutes? Moses had to have help just holding up his arms! (Read the entire story in Exodus 17:8-16.) From the very beginning, God never intended for us to "do life" alone.

 "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'"  (Genesis 2:18 NIV)

    All that remains of that lone pine is a pile of sawdust. Like my trees, we are meant to hold each other up. I didn't write this blog alone: I had to call Bill to help me find the Moses story, and Linda called in the middle with encouraging words when I was ready to give up. We can only do it together, my friend. 

 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)

 "He must increase, but I must decrease"  (John 3:30)

♱