During the course of our recent landscaping project, I went down to the local Garden Centre searching for some help in the face of an overwhelming amount of decisions relating to plants. Upon asking for assistance, the first and most obvious question was asked: ‘are you looking for deciduous or evergreen trees?’.
Admittedly, not being a natural green thumb nor having the encyclopedic plant knowledge of Jenny or Margaret, I hadn't put too much thought into it. But my gut feel on the matter was that I wasn’t a fan of deciduous trees. Their tendency towards dropping leaves and creating a mess didn't appeal to me one bit - that all seemed like a lot of work! It also didn't make sense to me from an aesthetics stand point; surely you would want trees and plants that looked green and beautiful all year round, instead of bare and barren branches?
Deciding that I needed to research more on the matter, I picked up a gardening book by Paul Bangay. As I was reading through the book I stumbled across a very interesting revelation. The book explained that if you lived in a cold climate and were thinking of planting trees close to your house, the ideal choice would be a deciduous tree. It explained that the reason for this was that once the leaves had fallen off the tree, the sun was able to penetrate through the branches and allow for light and warmth to hit the house. If an evergreen tree was planted in that same location, the leaves and foliage from that tree would block the natural light of the sun, causing shade to be thrown against the house leaving the house cold and dark during the winter season.
Upon reading this, I suddenly had a newfound admiration for deciduous trees. What I saw as ugly, bare and a nuisance, I now realised that God had a plan to provide through it. As I began to think more about this, I realised that this is in fact a picture of God and his character. Life carries with it many seasons, which in themselves have a purpose but even in the midst of the seasons which seem dark, grey and cold; even then God still makes a way for his light to shine through.
All through scripture we see this principle, where God allows the seasons of life to occur in their natural order; seasons of rain and of drought, seasons of death and of life. The very well known scripture from Ecclesiastes explains: ‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.’
Yet scripture also shows us that despite being in a season of drought, despair or discouragement, that God is able to make a way for us to experience fruitfulness, joy and peace in spite of our circumstances. He is able to create something from nothing and shine light in the midst of darkness.
Some examples that we see in God’s word:-
Those passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca) - Psalm 84:5-7
The key here is that while they are in the valleys of life, valleys that were filled with weeping and sorrow, God was able to bring the rain early. The fact that the scripture mentions the rain as early, is showing that God intervened outside of the norms of nature to provide them a source of water/sustenance (also a symbol of anointing and the Holy Spirit) while they were walking through their season of dryness.
Isaac in a season of famine - Gen 26v1-14
Despite living in a season of drought and famine, God blessed Isaac’s obedience and while those around him struggled, he was prosperous. Notice God did not remove him from the area of drought in order to bless him, he did not take him out of the season of famine to a place where there wasn't famine, but in the midst of the dryness and barrenness all around him, God made Isaac fruitful and prosperous.
The future glory of Zion - Isaiah 31v1-7
Here once again we see God providing a way that goes against the natural order of things. Water in the wilderness and streams in the desert, blind eyes opening and deaf ears hearing - this is not a natural occurrence, but God’s supernatural intervention.
These are just some examples of the many found in God’s word that paint the picture for us that God’s intention is to provide a way where there seems to be no way. Today I encourage you that no matter what season you are going through, God can and will make a way for you.
If God has made a way in his creation and in nature, to bring forth his light in the darkest of seasons, how much more will he make a way for you, the crown of his creation?
For those who may be interested in the outcome, yes I did end up choosing some deciduous trees for my garden. Now every-time I look at them I’m reminded of God’s light shining in the darkest of seasons.
When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me
Micah 7:8