Articles/Bulletins
Tree In An Overgrown Field
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - 1/3/22
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"The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the
earth from the rising of the sun to its setting." - Ps. 50:1
There is a tree in an overgrown field next to the church building where Jo and I currently worship that has always attracted me. But only during the winter months. At other seasons, when the tree is covered in foliage, it is just another nondescript tree that blends in with all the others. But in winter, when its leaves have all fallen, the bare skeleton of its limbs are revealed. That form, that bare structure, always captures my attention. Why? I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it is the symmetry of the branches, or the way the tree is divided into three distinct sections, or the sharp contrast between the unspoiled beauty of the tree against its surroundings. What you don't see in this photo is the intrusion of man all around it. On all sides are the factories, roads, homes and electrical lines that are its neighbors. In fact, even getting a clear view of this tree without including any of the many things that would act as distractions required me to walk through the underbrush for quite a while in order to get this shot. The sun was setting which provided me with the touch of color I needed to make this image. But the whole experience was marred for me by the noise. The sounds of traffic rushing past me on the roads and the roar from the factories took away from me the voice of God. I have found that, at least for me, God speaks most clearly in the silence and solitude of nature. Of course God speaks constantly as he summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. And yet, I hear that voice most clearly when the distractions of mankind are removed. Adding things to the natural world in an effort to enhance it only detracts from it. Trees, as well as the rest of God's creation, are best appreciated when the fingerprints of man are removed so that the voice of God can be heard. He always speaks but we seldom listen. - John
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