Murray Smith
A property near where our family lives had a beautiful 12-metre-high specimen tree in the front garden.
Unfortunately, Cyclone Gabrielle left it leaning at 45 degrees, with a bulging root ball bursting through the neatly manicured lawn.
Sadly, no option existed other than cutting this tree down. Driving past where it once proudly stood and seeing the gap left was a reminder to me, underscoring in the grander scheme of things how temporary much about life can be.
However, something grabbed my attention, and I did a ‘double take’ at the stump recently as I drove by. From the remains of the once grand tree was sprouting tender shoots bearing golden-green leaves – a tiny new version of the beautiful original.
The sight filled me with a sense of joy… and hope. Delighting in simple things, I stopped to take a photograph. Now I’m looking forward to the possibility of the ‘new’ tree becoming a flourishing successor to its progenitor.
Behind my delight in seeing this tree sprouting is the understanding that in life, when things are ‘cut down’ there is always hope for a future in spite of losses that we experience. Perhaps you might be someone who has experienced deep pain from reversals and disappointments – maybe setbacks have introduced crippling impact into your life.
There’s a true story of a man named Job who lived many centuries ago. His experience of life was full and complete. He enjoyed great family life and prospered materially. One day, events unfolded successively, which left him wishing he’d never been born. His existence was totally ‘up ended’.
These things happened cumulatively – first some of his children died in horrible circumstances, then his farm workers and animals perished in a freak fire, a violent wind flattened property crushing his remaining children… then his health broke. Covered in painful boils from head to toe, Job was devastated and bewildered over what was going on. His ‘friends’ gathered offering unhelpful commentary about how it must be ‘karma’. Making it worse, Job’s wife derisively told him to ‘curse God and die’.
At one point, Job made a notable observation (among many worthy of note). His words came to mind as I looked at the little shoots sprouting from the tree stump. Job said, “There is hope for a tree, that even if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth and its stump die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches”. (From Book of Job, Chapter 14- the Bible)
The message is, that when it seems life is over, where everything looks hopeless, the promise of a fresh beginning remains. “The scent of water” coming and revitalising the stump is a clear picture of God’s Spirit touching a human heart that has been broken, cut down or crushed by circumstances of life.
Job’s life story ends with a beautiful account of joy and restoration. Because God’s re-generating power is still available today, yours can too.
Cyclone Gabrielle damage
