"Reading the Redwoods: Life Out of Death"

“Reading the Redwoods”

“Life Out of Death”

 

Maybe the only negative part of our journey among the giants was the number of trees that had died and were reposing on the forest floor. One, however, especially caught our attention because another evergreen was growing out of it. Amazingly, the death of one had given life to another.

Some time ago we heard of a church in Michigan which was shutting its doors and donating its resources to a start-up assembly in another part of the state. In a second case a church in Massachusetts had dissolved and used its assets to underwrite a fund to assist in planting churches in New England. In both situations death was providing new life to reach out into other communities.

From these observations we remembered the words Jesus spoke shortly before His death: “…Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24). While death brings sadness, in the examples of the fallen redwood and closed churches God produced good things. And Jesus’ giving his life for us makes our restoration to fellowship with God possible. (What could surpass that?) The Apostle Paul wrote, “We were reconciled to (God) through the death of his Son….” (Romans 5:10), and our new, fresh, full life emerges because of the death and resurrection of Christ (“…Your blood has ransomed people for God….”—Revelation 5:9, NLT). Have you “…crossed over from death to life.”? (John 5:24).

We hope you’ve learned from “Reading the Redwoods.” We know we did. And it’s our prayer that we’ll all be good and teachable students in God’s school of life, wherever His classroom may be.

 

Blessings!

Jim and Karen McMillan

"Reading the Redwoodsf: Safety in Numbers"

“Reading the Redwoods”

“Safety in Numbers”

 

As we ambled our way along the path shaded by our huge new friends we talked about how deep their roots must go into the soil for nutrients and stability. Much to our surprise, however, we soon learned that they were only three to five feet under the ground. How then can these behemoths withstand the storms which threaten their well-being? Well, unlike most types of trees, redwood roots intertwine beneath the surface and in this way hold each other up. Once we realized this we observed that the fallen ones (and there were a good number lying on the ground) were isolated from the others and thus had no support in the face of the natural elements when they came. This brought Solomon’s words to mind: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

The Apostle Paul wrote, “…In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:5). The human body is but one picture Scripture uses to describe Christ’s Church as one unit made up of many parts (others include a flock, building, garden, and army). In each case the various segments have unique roles which make fulfilling its purpose possible. To quote Paul again, “From (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16).

As God’s people we need each other. The Book of Acts describes the progress of the church’s earliest days when in the face of threats the believers stuck together and refused to allow themselves to be divided. Coupled with the epistles, the phrases “one another” and “each other” are used more than 40 times in the New Testament to describe the relationships within Christ’s body. Would that today we might get back to those beginnings!

The Bible doesn’t teach independence of God’s people but rather interdependence. We need each other. To avoid the same fate as the lonely redwoods let’s keep those interconnections with our brothers and sisters strong.

 

Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Reading the Redwoods: Adversity Needed"

“Reading the Redwoods”

“Adversity Needed”

 

In some ways the redwoods are an enigma. Even though they’re the largest of trees they’re not especially strong. Their lumber is used to build such items as outdoor furniture but because of its lack of durability it’s seldom used in the construction of buildings. Yet they live for many centuries. How do we explain what appears to be contradictory? The answer, strange as it may seem, is that General Sherman and his friends thrive on adversity.

When Sequoia National Park was established in 1890 the rangers were diligent in putting out fires which they believed threatened the well-being of the Park’s primary attractions. However, as time went on they discovered that fire was essential to the trees’ health because the heat forms a kind of scar tissue inside the bark and makes them stronger. So now the National Park Service starts controlled fires to “toughen their hide.” (We saw one during our visit.) For us as God’s people the fires of crises are needed to refine and strengthen our faith. In the midst of his struggles Job told his friends, “…(God) knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10). Read the conclusion of his story in the book’s final chapter.

The controlled fires also clear away brush and other scrub growth so the nutrients in the soil can benefit the redwoods. As life’s challenges come our way “stuff” that hinders our progress needs to be removed so the truth of God’s Word can enrich us (“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”—Psalm 119:71).

In addition, these huge evergreens were created with the ability to resist the fungi, insects, and microbes which impact and sometimes destroy other types of trees. Similarly, God in His grace has provided us as His followers with three impregnable defenses: the Holy Spirit, Scripture, and prayer (“Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”—Ephesians 6:17-18).  Truly, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness….” (2 Peter 1:3).

The redwoods stand tall despite the dangers all around them. Let’s learn from these gigantic teachers and remember, “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” (Proverbs 10:25).

 

Blessings!

Jim McMillan

 

 

"Reading the Redwoods: Never Too Old"

“Reading the Redwoods”

“Never Too Old”

 

One of the highlights of the “redwood forest” is the General Sherman, the most massive of these great trees. It’s estimated to be 3800 years old (meaning it was a seedling around the time of Abraham’s death) and when we saw it in 1997 it was about 272 feet tall, 36 feet in diameter, 115 feet in circumference, and weighed some 6000 tons. If it were cut into lumber (perish the thought!) 35 five-room houses could be built. But immense as it is, it’s still growing—in fact, we learned it’s one of the fastest growing trees in the world! Mind-boggling, isn’t it?

Now imagine the General had a brain and after 3700 years said, “I’m big enough. I think I’ll stop growing and take it easy.” Had that been possible we’d never have had the privilege of viewing it. It would have died because as long as a plant is alive it grows and/or produces in some way.

We as God’s people can fall into the trap of reaching a point in our journey where we feel we’ve “arrived” at maturity in our faith and can coast along until He takes us to Heaven. While age and health may bring about certain changes in how we learn and serve, it’s God’s intention that we continue to grow in these areas as long as He provides the wherewithal to do so. In 2 Peter 3:18 the Lord’s friend and disciple writes to His followers who were challenged by persecution and false teaching, “Continue growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Literal translation). But lest we think we can reach a certain point and stop Paul reminds us, “…that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6). To take some liberties with a TV commercial, we’re to keep growing and growing and growing and….

We’re never too old to grow and be used of God (Noah was 500 when he was told to build the ark, Moses 80 when he was chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Abraham 75 when he answered God’s call to go to a new place). Let’s let the General challenge us to keep on.

 

Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Reading the Redwoods: Small Beginnings"

“Reading the Redwoods”

“Small Beginnings”

 

As we walked among the redwoods and viewed with wonderment what God had made we began singing some lines from a great hymn describing God’s magnificence: “When through the woods and forest glades I wander…Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How Great Thou Art….” But had we encountered a seed from one of these mammoth trees we’d never have known it. Why? Because a redwood seed is about as large as a ladybug! And given the right conditions, we learned that this miniscule seed could grow to many billions of times its size.

In His seven parables describing various aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke Jesus described its beginning and growth in this way: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree….(Matthew 13:31-32). A green mustard seed weighs .002 grams, so it requires 227,000 to make a pound. That means it would take about 295 to make one redwood seed. So much for small being insignificant! God’s present kingdom on earth, the Church of Jesus Christ, had small beginnings—a tiny and uneducated group of faithful followers was used by Him to proclaim His message so that today a movement which by human standards shouldn’t have lasted beyond that first generation is alive and well across the world.

But Jesus used the concept of a mustard seed in another way. When His disciples showed a lack of faith He rebuked them (and us 2000 years later) when He said, “…If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:22).

Has my faith moved beyond those small beginnings? Has yours?

Blessings!

Jim McMillan