The Message of the Tree

This is Third in a series of five about the messages that God sends to us through the Christmas Season.

 The Message of the Tree

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”   Isaiah 55:12

God created trees as part of his plan and as with all his creation, they also praise him.  I love trees and am always amazed at their changing through seasons.  You may think all trees are green, but riding along a road, you will find they are such a variety of green that you can’t describe the true color. In the fall, the colors are so amazing, you may wish you were an artist to capture it on a canvas.

However there is one tree that does not change year around and that is the fir tree.  The Psalms even speak of fir trees: “Where the birds make their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.” (Psalm 104:17)  God knew the importance of the trees and throughout the Bible they are mentioned many times, such as the ‘Cedars of Lebanon and the use of making musical instruments.  In the early 1800’s, Germany being one of the first, began decorating trees with fruit, candies and candles, and putting them in their homes. Eventually the practice moved to Canada and then to the United States.

It soon became a tradition to have Christmas trees in homes around the world.  The star on the top represents the birth of our Savior and a tree top angel reminds us of the angel’s proclamation of Jesus being born.  Any other reason to have a Christmas tree is strictly a decorating idea. There was a period of time that Christians were told it was evil to have a tree in their house. It came from a scripture in Jeremiah 10:3-4, “For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple.”  Now the problem was that they didn’t read on, because in verse 5, scripture tells us to not be afraid because they can’t do any evil. 

Christmas Trees are not idols, nor are they evil; they are a tradition that brings joy to children and adults as well.  The tradition is for us to enjoy God’s creation of the fir tree and sing carols and traditional songs.  I don’t see that singing I’m ‘Dreaming of a White Christmas’ is wrong.  All carols we sing were written by men; not God.

I want to share a poem written in the 1800’s by Joyce Kilmer.

Trees

I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree who looks at God all day, and lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear, a nest of Robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain; who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree. 

I have loved this poem since my mother read it to me as a child.  I do not worship trees and I don’t know of anyone who personally does.  God gave us trees for many uses and one is to enjoy.  So as you decorate your tree this year, remember that God is sending you a message and it is this; we should be filled with joy, clapping our hands and singing praises to God our Father, for sending us his Son, Jesus Christ.  God has created all things for our pleasure, even the fir tree.