The Trees of the Field

The Trees of the Field

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

Let the sea resound and all that is in it;

let the fields be jubilant and everything in them.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy.

Psalm 96:11-12

I will never be an arborist.  At the looks of things in my yard, I am not even a decent caretaker of trees.  I planted a row of Arborvitae beside the house, to give some separation between my yard and my neighbor's property.  The first four are tall and proud and appear healthy.  I have battled bagworms on one of them, but otherwise they are well.  The next two are much smaller, but healthy.  Of the last four, one died this winter, and the other three appear to be dying in sections (or swirls, as the case may be).  The peach tree I planted in the front yard has about 1/3 dead wood.  On the brighter side, the apple  tree that I planted about 5 years ago in the back yard has broken open in bright white blooms (the first time ever) and beautiful green leaves.  And my ancient red Dogwood, itself suffering some dead wood, is blooming beautifully once again.

If I were to bring in a professional, I would hazard a guess that he/she would tell me that the difference between good health in my trees and them slowly/quickly dying, is water:  the abundance or lack thereof.  Although the Arborvitae are planted in a line down the side of my property, the land around the healthy trees is flat, and around the dead/dying is slopped away from the tree.  I am sure that I would be told to water the trees in summer - a  task I do not usually (ever?) do.

You and I are about in the same shape as some of my trees - suffering damage from temptation and sin, and, like the woman at the well, lacking sufficient water to keep us from slowly dying.  Jesus invites us, If any man/woman thirst, let him/her come unto Me and drink. 

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You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth before you;

There'll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field

Will clap, will clap their hands.

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands;

The trees of the field will clap their hands.

The trees of the field will clap their hands

While you go out with joy.

The Faith We Sing, No. 2279