For my husband’s birthday, we checked off an item on our bucket list instead of presents. He wanted to visit the Redwood Forest of Northern California. so, we traveled to Humboldt County to drive along the Avenue of the Giants. This famed road through the redwoods is one of the finest forest drives in the world. Lined by massive trees, the 31-mile route offers an incredible vista of the surrounding areas. And, yes, we drove through one tree as part of our journey.
[bctt tweet=”Like the Redwoods, our faith can thrive in any environment if we draw our refreshment from the living water of God. “]
And, standing amid these amazing trees left me speechless as I listened to the wind blow through their lofty limbs. Markers along the trails explained the Redwoods are the tallest trees on earth, reaching over 300 feet. There is evidence the trees existed at the same time as the dinosaurs. And they live for thousands of years. The oldest known Redwood is over 2,200 years old, which means it existed at the same time Christ lived on earth.
Redwoods Poem
At one stop along the drive, a sign offered a poem dedicated to these majestic trees. The sign did not list the name of the author, but the words gave me pause to reflect.
“Here, sown by the Creator’s hand,
Author Unknown
In serried rands, the Redwoods Stand;
No other clime is honored so,
No other lands their glory know.
The greatest of Earth’s living forms,
Tall conquerors that laugh at storms;
Their challenge still unanswered rings,
Through fifty centuries of kings.
This is their temple, vaulted high,
And here we pause with reverent eye,
With silent tongue and awe-struck soul;
For here we sense life’s proper goal.
To be like these, straight, true and fine,
To make our world, like theirs, a shrine,
Sink down, Oh traveller, on your knees,
God stands before you in these trees.”
Lessons from the Redwood
These trees can teach us some lessons about faith as we admire their beauty and resilience. Let’s look at some ways:
- The bark of the Redwoods can be up to a foot thick and full of tannins that protect it from bugs, rot, and fire so it can live for thousands of years.
- Christ protects us from all the dangers of this life and He gives us eternal life. “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers Him from them all.” — Psalm 34:19 (NIV).
- Fire can burn a cave like hole in the tree’s trunk without it dying. These holes become home to some of the forest creatures.
- And, God can show us how to use our troubles to help others. “Even when troubles stricken us, God helps us to use those times to encourage others to continue in faith. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (NIV).
- Redwoods intertwine their roots with each other to stabilize one another and share nutrients.
- So, when we fellowship with other Christians, we strengthen our faith and we grow together. “24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 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).
- A redwood’s leaves can both absorb moisture from fog right from the air and can also condense fog into drops and rain them down to soak the soil around them.
- Like the trees, our faith can thrive in any environment if we draw our refreshment from the living water of God. “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38 (NIV).
God’s Messages to Us
We can see God’s messages all around us when we take the time to look and listen. I love how He used the trees to speak to my heart and encourage me and I hope the message inspires you as well. May God give you a message of hope this week. And, like the Redwoods, may you stand tall and strong in your faith, resisting all the temptations of this world.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father. Thank you for the beauty of nature you provide for us to enjoy. Please continue to teach us your ways through the gift of nature. Let us feel your presence as we move through our days and bring us safely home to be with you when the time comes. Thank you for so many blessings. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.