This morning's dense mist shrouded Warley Woods. And the two close oaks in the meadow were damply cloaked, like everything else. But these twinned companions have always had a special feel to me. Their branches intertwine in a permanent embrace, so that they almost seem to be one. At some angles, when the trunks merge into a single pillar, they indeed do become like one tree.
There are probably many older trees on Warley Woods. There are probably more beautiful trees too. But when I walk passed these oaks each day, I think of the word faithful.
In the psalms, God's character is constantly referred to as faithful. In Psalm 26.3, the poet describes the paths of the Lord as 'steadfast love and faithfulness'. In both Psalm 36.5 and 57.10, the steadfast love of God 'extends to the heavens, you faithfulness to the clouds'. Today, the clouds of God descended to us, heaven came down to earth.
In another metaphor on this theme, the psalmist in 85.10-11, says: 'Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground and righteousness will look down from the sky.' These two trees' embrace may lead us, in our imaginations, to call one 'righteousness' and the other 'peace'. Or maybe, another day, we can call them 'steadfast love' and 'faithfulness'. What do you think? What are the names you might give to trees that withstand the batterings of the storms of life and the test of time.
I have learnt through life, and through the example and encouragement of others, that when the storms batter, I can still turn to praise - praising God for his steadfast faithfulness in all things. And blossom trees speak to me of this so I shall call them "songs of praise", "showers of joy" (especially when the blossom starts to fall so abundantly) "radiant beauty".
ReplyDeleteThis beautifully atmospheric photo of the 2 oak trees embracing each other makes me think about my marriage and how grateful I am to be greatly blessed with such a faithful loving partner, constant and steadfast through the many storms we have endured. Strength and courage come through knowing someone remains at your side come what may, and knowing for sure that you are loved.
But today in the UK we witness the beginning of a separation as Article 50 is triggered. It is an historic day and none of us know what the future holds for us. Will it be an amicable divorce?
We've also seen the beginning of the breaking of the US's commitment to the Paris Climate Change agreement with President Trump signing orders to change some policies aimed to protect the environment. God is faithful to us. Are we faithful to our calling to be wise and responsible stewards of this earth?
This Lent we pray for a renewal of commitment and faithfulness to Jesus who loved us to the end, even to death on the cross.
Last night I woke, as I often do, about 2am and couldn't get back to sleep. When I finally did sleep again I had horrible and disturbing dreams but this morning I have woken with my head full of beautiful memories that have a similar sense of prayer for me as the trees in today yesterday's blogs:-
ReplyDeleteEvening walks with my cousins as far as one of our woods and the deep peace and stillness and quietness that the scufflings and rustlings only intensified.
Being in our one remaining hop yard at hop picking. My aunt always came and I was allowed to spent the days with her. There was always much joking and laughter which I loved, but I also loved to lose myself among the bines that were still standing. Years ago I described them as cathedral like aisles of green. Again there was that deep stillness and quietness.
Walking along one of the farm tracks and almost being frustrated at the intense beauty all around me, especially the immense variety of green and not being able to see it all at once. If I wondered at the beauty of this I couldn't wonder at the beauty of that and that and that.
There was a patch of germander speedwell on that track. It's a plant with small blue flowers. The blue is deep, vivid and intense, but when you look closely each flower has a pale border and there are little pale lines radiating from its centre. What looks uniform to start with has so much more to it when looked at carefully.
A bit further along the track was low down, but the field stayed high. On the slope up to the field on a hot summer's day the buzzing and humming of the insects on all the flowers and the huge variety of butterflies, gloriously coloured iridescent flies and, if one looked carefully, beetles and other insects were such a celebration of life and creation.
When I stand at the top of meadow and look out across it there is that same sense of spaciousness and freedom, life and energy, awe and wonder I had as a child and that as an adult I see as part of what worship is about.