Trees

 

We take trees for granted, but should always be thankful to God for making them and designing them the way He did because trees are special and are necessary for our survival; we are dependent on all types of vegetation but mostly trees as they were designed to store carbon dioxide and respire oxygen into the atmosphere.  Furthermore trees have enabled us to get to where we are: sailing ships were made from wood, trees supplied all our telephone and electricity poles until very recently when some made of concrete or steel have been used, our railway sleepers, our houses, our bridges and our factories and furniture have been made of wood. All the paper we use for letters, tissues, cardboard boxes etc comes from trees. The coal we use to smelt all the steel we have comes from trees buried by Noah’s great flood, and this coal drove our steam trains and still produces most of the electricity in the world, and very cheaply too. 

 In order for trees to grow, their roots absorb moisture; minerals etc. from the soil and take it up to their leaves which could be 105 meters from the ground.  Pacific coast redwoods (Sequoias) in California exceed that height whilst Australian Mountain Ash exceeds 90 meters. The one in the center of the first photo is in the Styx Valley in S.W. Tasmania and is believed to be the tallest hardwood in the world.

 Any engineer would tell you that it takes a very well designed water pump to lift water that high, and uses considerable energy but, because of their design, it is no hassle for the tree. What a clever design engineer our God is. He thought of every detail.

 

  This second photo was taken about 1895; that massive tree butt estimated to be between 600 & 900 years old was hollow and 11 horses could be stabled in it. (The photo is by curtsey of Malcolm May from that area). Gordon Davis, who is currently a resident of Dubbo in N.S.W. has documented that in1961 he was a director of a firm that cleared Mountain Ash trees in the Strzelecki ranges near Balook in Victoria to make way for a power line being constructed, and these trees were about 250 feet high with their lowest limbs 150 feet from the ground. They estimated the fallen logs as well over 100 tons weight. The stumps were 12 feet across (about 4 meters) but didn’t have to be removed.

Just as car manufacturers design cars for different uses e.g. people movers, utilities, trucks etc. so did God design many types of trees; apart from those above he made shade trees of various types, and fruit trees of all varieties for our health and enjoyment. Then there are trees that are apparently mainly for beauty like the Jacarandas and Wattles (acacias). In the drier areas of our land where grass sometimes doesn’t grow for years because of drought, He placed trees that have edible leaves so sheep and cattle could survive; trees like Mulga, Rosewood, Currant bush and Kurrajongs and

(in the photo) the “obese” Bottle tree that can withstand harsh conditions because of the moist pithy material inside its trunk.

 

The Bible tells us in Genesis 1 & John 1:3 that it was Jesus in His original “role” as the “Word of God” who spoke all these trees into existence. Indeed John 1:3 says “Without Him there was nothing made that was made”. Yet when He came to earth in human form the authorities crucified Him on a wooden cross. His great love prevailed however, and He prayed “Father forgive them” and being both a sinless human and Divine, He took on Him the sin of the entire world and died for us. Therefore in God’s sight we are now Righteous providing we repent and humbly ask forgiveness in Jesus name. So of all the trees in the world that “The Word of God” created, the one from which Jesus cross was made was the best tree ever grown as far as we are concerned because as Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh onto the Father but by me”. What makes Jesus sacrifice even more wonderful is the fact that he always knew that His earthly life would conclude in that way but didn’t avoid it; You see the Prophet Isaiah had documented it in very great detail 700 years earlier (Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 6 and the whole of chapter 53)

 

Every time you see a tree, thank God for His foresight and Jesus for His loving sacrifice. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but inherit Eternal Life” (John 3:16)… Best wishes as you ponder that, Tom.