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Just Like a Tree
Message by Rev. Frank Schaefer
Jeremiah 17:7-8

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

Slide #1: We all start small in life, including in our faith.

A tree gets grounded or rooted in the soil over a long period of time. It’s a natural process all trees go through. At the beginning, the sapling needs a lot of care, the soil needs to be just right—soft and filled with nutrients. The soil needs to be watered and the tender stem of the sapling needs to be protected from pests.

Perhaps this is the stage in which we first experience God’s love. This is the “honeymoon” phase that follows our spiritual awakening to the experience and knowledge of God’s unfailing love for us. Note that God doesn’t expect us to be perfectly strong right from the beginning, God knows that it takes time for us to grow spiritually.

In this sapling spiritual phase we must learn to trust God more and more. It’s like when we were children, when we were vulnerable and totally dependent on our parents. We all had to learn to trust our parents growing up as children, even trust that when they said “no” that they were looking out for us and our best interest.

Slide #2:

As the tree continues to grow, it is subjected to dry spells, storms, and the wintry weather. It is during those “rough” times that the roots grow deeper and that the tree is being established. Before a tree can become tall and strong it needs to grow strong roots.

Trees grow deeper roots following storms and droughts

Flexible trees have a great chance to survive even the strongest hurricances. The palm tree, for instance, may take a beating but it will likely survive the storm.

Would it surprise you to know that there are some palms, the sabal in particular, that can withstand winds up to 145 miles per hour? Also: Palm trees are able to bend 40 or 50 degrees without snapping.

We should all strive to be the Palm in the Storm. Be flexible. When we expect our life to be perfect and when we expect God to avert all crises away from us, most likely our faith will snap. When we show some flexibility and hang in there, when we are able to cope and make due and adjust, our faith will grow stronger.

Also: a storm study by the University of Florida shows that trees that are planted in close groups have a much better chance at survival. In Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne, our research showed that trees growing in groups survived the winds better than individual trees (80% versus 70% in Hurricane Ivan, and 88% versus 78% in Hurricane Jeanne.) A group was defined as five or more trees, each growing within 10 feet of another tree.

So let’s stay connected! As groups of trees have a better chance at surviving storms, so we need to stay connected as brothers and sisters in Christ.
 

Slide #3:

If you’ve got deep roots, you worry less in years of drought or during stormy season. At this point in your spiritual growth you have some life experience; you realize that hard times will come and go. You remember how God has helped you through those rough stretches in the past, and you know that there are opportunities –yes, opportunities—for growth during those times.

And if you’ve got deep roots, you will bear fruit. You will find that during rough times you are still able to serve and to help others, especially those who are are needy. You can go for stretches of time without rain and still go strong.

Slide #4:

My point is that we get frustrated at times with ourselves because it feels that, day in and day out, we are struggling with the same issues and making the same mistakes. We don’t notice our growth until we look back over time and see how much we have indeed grown over the years. My struggles today are much less dramatic than when I was a younger.

The important thing is that we hang in there with God, with our prayers, our devotions because sometimes our faith grows faster than at other times, and sometimes we may even plateau in our development (or even go a step backwards).

There is a contemporary Christian song by Cheri Keaggy that expresses this message so well. This is an incredible statement of faith!

Conclusion:

Be flexible, don’t expect the perfect life with God. God allows storms for a purpose.

Stay connected, as groups of trees have a better chance at surviving storms, so we need to stay connected as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Take comfort in the suggestion that I’m not the only one struggling with life or my faith.

Take courage in the suggestion that storms and droughts are not only part of life, but cause me to grow stronger roots, become a better person.

Realize that my faith isn’t expected to be perfect. Just like trees get established and rooted over time, my faith will grow, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.
 

Tree-Planting Prayer

Loving and gracious God thank you for planting us in your garden. You intend us to grow into mighty big trees that are planted by your living waters. Help us, loving God, to grow in faith and trust. You long to lead us deeper and deeper into the mystery of your love and grace. Grant us courage to grow even, and especially during times of drought or times of storms. Surround our roots with good soil, so we will have a deep sense of grounding and always surround us by your great and unconditional love. Amen.