The Grow of giant trees (II): The Enlightenment of Sequoia
The Grow of giant trees (II): The Enlightenment of Sequoia
Recently a respected spiritual elder had close transportation with me. The elder has been fully trained in theology, and over the past 20 years he has spent a lot of time working as a student fellowship, and in recent years has also spent extra time doing care for new immigrants and the elderly.
He shared with me the difficulties of children, youth, and student gospel work in recent years. Apart from the lack of much attention to many churches, modern young people are attracted to the world, have no chance to hear the gospel, and lack the opportunity to be equipped and created,…. Wait a minute.
He shared with me that for the past decade or so he had a dream, wanting to buy a plot of land, build a few simple houses, allow students to have a place to run a camp, and also allow a lot of small churches that could not afford to run retreats, to be able to come to this place to rest, network, and build. As for group reunions and retreats, of course, it is very welcome.
He has a really good idea. Recently he has really found a few pieces in the evaluation and negotiation. The remaining question, of course, is how to raise a budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and where to find these lost sheep?
As I have promised him, I will come to help him with this Great Plan for the future. Lately I've been thinking seriously, how does a Christian's life go from a tiny seed to a small tree (sapling) that can finally grow into a large tree (sequoia) high in the clouds?
Why have many years of reading, listening, equipping, producing, and praying, or are there many people who wither, or are stunted, when they first germinate, or grow into small saplings? Some have the opportunity to grow into a big tree also become crooked twist, straight not up.
Last month's trip to Sequoia National Park gave me an extra layer of understanding of this particularly tall and long-lived tree. Many of the growth characteristics of sequoia may also be needed for our spiritual life to grow into giant trees.
First, the importance of physical life. Trees should grow tall, and roots should be rooted deep to be stable. But sequoia grows in contrast to this rule. Scientists have found that the roots of the sequoia tree are actually very shallow. A sequoia above a hundred feet, the root of the top is more than five or six feet deep.
Where is the mystery that underpins its growth and stability?The original a large area of sequoia with each other's roots intertwined, tightly connected, one plant in a row. So nutrients and water can be supplied and passed on to each other. Although it may appear to be a separate tree on the surface, when strong winds and heavy rain hit, their roots support each other, protect each other, and stand firm.
Because their roots are largely dense on the surface, so it is convenient and quick to absorb the moisture and nutrients that depend on them for growth, so it would have been used to take root in the downward energy, all used for upward growth. And in the end, if a tree falls and dies, its nutrients are absorbed by the trees in the group, helping them grow, and even growing a new tree.
Since the growth of sequoia trees is always accompanied by groups, not alone, sequoia is seen in the national park in particular dense. Some trees even grow together (see photo).
Is sequoia this close together, and support each other, help each other, so that it can grow tall and long-lasting way, is not what we Christians need for life?
Second, the importance of spiritual cover and protection. Sequoia bark is very special, in the trunk base, bark can be 6-10 inches thick, or even 2 feet. In addition to its thick skin, the bark is rich in tannins, thus preventing insect attacks. Even when the fire comes, thick as asbestos-like bark, combined with no resin (resin) and asphalt (pitch) ingredients, can greatly reduce damage to the internal trunk.
Although tall and mature sequoia is rarely burned to death by the fire, but still growing, the bark is not very thick, not too big sequoia, the chance of being burned is still very high.
Christian life also grows like sequoia, which would have had a thick spiritual protective layer, which is also like human skin, to prevent all bacteria from invading with the virus. But once the skin is broken, the external aggressor can easily hurt the body.
So Christians must look after this protective film that God has given us, follow God's commandments, and do what He delights in. If you commit a crime or do something that God does not please, it creates a broken mouth, giving the dark power a chance to invade us, to harm our spiritual life, or even to dry or decay.
Third, get close to God, and build intimacy. Mature sequoia, towering into the sky, allowed them to survive the long drought and rainless season. Because the branches at the top of the tree and leaves have the best chance of touching the clouds that surround the tree.
The result of these clouds coming into contact with the trees, small droplets of water flow down the trunk, injected into the roots, and become the need for this tree to grow.
God's children are not ordinary times, but also often into the "high", close to God, take the dew from His life, so that we in the difficult season, when we get moist, life is not dry, like sequoia.
Dear brothers and sisters, the three sequoia growth characteristics shared above, though not all, must have been an important factor in the creation of our spiritual life, from a small sapling to a giant tree. Do you agree?
If we don't grow into giant trees, how can we keep our shade cool for many people, and how can our roots feed other small trees? Let us think of each other, encourage each other, and bless each other.
