The Tree of Life

Way in the upper northwest corner of the country, on the Pacific coast nestled among the rainforest sits a tree that is an anomaly of nature.  This specific tree, located on Kalaloch Beach in Washington state, is a mighty Sitka spruce—the largest variety of the spruce trees, known for their heavy trunks—and is situated precariously between two short cliffs along the shoreline.  Years of erosion from a nearby stream, along with forceful Pacific storms have worn away the soil surrounding the roots of this tree, leaving them completely exposed and hanging in mid-air.  To the observer, the tree appears to be suspended off the ground, with only a few long branching and thick roots connecting it to the adjacent hillsides.  All the smaller, nutrient providing roots, however, are visible and unsupported.  While one might expect such a tree to languish without its roots in the necessary soil, against all odds, this gem of nature continues to survive—and not just barely; it remains green, apparently healthy.  It stays attached into the hillside when other trees regularly get toppled by the winter winds.  There is no reasonable way to describe its vitality.  That is why this special tree has, by the locals, been given the name the Tree of Life.  

I recently visited this tree and marveled at its beauty but was also intrigued by the roots. It’s a unique experience to observe a root system in its entirety—to see how broadly they branch, and what comprises the foundation of the mighty trees we only see above ground.  This led me to consider our roots—all the unseen factors that contribute to what people see when they look at us. Our roots are our families of origin and the blessings and pain bestowed upon us through them.  Our roots are our past choices—both good and bad, that shape our current behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, and circumstances.   Our roots are also the people around us that nourish us and have supported us through our journeys.  But most importantly, for those of us with a relationship with Jesus, our roots are our faith in him.  As our relationship with him becomes more intimate, as our knowledge of his word grows, as we are led by his Spirit to love, even during the hardest times, our roots branch and are strengthened.  The soil around us can be eroded by trial and hardship, we can be tested by wind and the rain, and like the Kalaloch Tree of Life, despite all odds, we are able to stay standing, nourished by his love.

In Revelation, the churches are told that “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). Later, John describes that tree, saying “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him” (Revelation 22:1-3). In Eden, Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Life to which they had no right. In Heaven, we are promised that very opportunity if we remain true to Jesus. One day we will stand before the true Tree of Life and have every sorrow and every hardship healed by its leaves.  All our roots will be laid bare before Jesus and be made perfect and whole. 

Friends, I pray that you will strengthen your roots in Jesus.  Let him sustain and support you.  Someday, when it’s all said and done, let’s meet together at the foot of true Tree of Life.