A Barren Tree
I’ve started reading about the life of a Carmelite monk called Brother Lawrence who entered the monastery in Paris in 1640 at the age of twenty-six, dedicating His life to loving and serving God.
Several years earlier, when he was eighteen, Brother Lawrence (then, Nicholas Herman) had this experience with God which opened his eyes to the reality of Him, and “a love for God that never after ceased to burn.”*
In the deep of winter, Herman looked at a barren tree, stripped of leaves and fruit, waiting silently and patiently for the sure hope of summer abundance. Gazing at the tree, Herman grasped for the first time the extravagance of God’s grace and the unfailing sovereignty of divine providence. Like the tree, he himself was seemingly dead, but God had life waiting for him, and the turn of seasons would bring fullness. At that moment, he said, that leafless tree “first flashed in upon my soul the fact of God,” and a love for God that never after ceased to burn.*
I thought this was beautiful, the realisation of God, and His extravagance towards us, from a barren tree in the winter. Seeing for the first time that it is God Who brings summer from winter, flourishing from barrenness, life from death. That evidence of His grace and His providence is all around us, if only we would have the eyes to see.
And he saw himself in that tree, “seemingly dead.” How often can we feel this way too? Laid bare, and brittle. Questioning how fruitful we are for Him. Facing times that are desolate. But what a beautiful picture of hope this story gives. That with God, there is the promise of changing seasons and newness ahead. That if we will wait for Him, “silently and patiently” and confident in His grace and “unfailing sovereignty,” we have the “sure hope of summer abundance” before us.
*Reference: ‘Brother Lawrence’ on Wikipedia – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Lawrence. The book I’m reading is called ‘Practicing God’s Presence: Brother Lawrence for today’s reader’ by Robert Elmer (2005, NavPress, Colorado Springs).
Brother Lawrence’s life has been a big inspiration to me. I aspire to, like Him, live life so in the presence of God that the set-apart times do not differ from the rest of the day. Every moment in God’s presence–what a concept! Of course God is with us and in us always, but how many of us are able to retain that God consciousness 24/7? I want to obsess over Him like a love-sick teenager, desiring and requiring Him is my most urgent need.
Hi Cindy, it’s lovely to hear from you, and I know exactly what you mean – “every moment in God’s presence” – what a powerful, beautiful thing to cultivate! And I love the way you described wanting to feel like a “love-sick teenager” about God, thinking about Him, desiring Him, and being so conscious of Him all the time – I definitely relate
Hi Birgit:) As I was reading this I could see this image of the barren tree, like the photo, but it just really hit me I think what Brother Lawrence must have seen: the tree standing, arms outstretched, completely surrendered. And as the wind battered and the snow came, the tree remains, arms outstretched, completely surrendered. And God comes and He brings the rain and the sunshine and dresses the tree again beautifully with leaves and blossoms. This is the posture that I want to take in my own life arms outstretched, completely surrendered, knowing that always, in everything, God is wise. Thank you Birgit, love and blessings:)
That is a book on my looooooong list of ‘must reads’.
What a wonderful God we have that He can speak profound truths to us through commonplace things, if we will choose to see and hear. Thank you for this reminder of the possibility to know a love for God that never after ceases to burn.
Wow, Rain, that really is beautiful! I hadn’t thought about it in that way. The barren tree with its branches like arms outstretched and open before God – “completely surrendered.” And what hope there is in your description – that even though the winter may be harsh and bleak and go on and on for the longest time, the blossoms do eventually come with the spring, and our God is perfect in His timing, even though we might sometimes wonder … I love your thoughts on this, thank you! Lots of love.
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I think you would so enjoy this book @ngie when you do get to read it, and I would love to know your thoughts … I loved that description too – a love for God “that never ceases to burn.” Just the idea of a quiet, lasting, sustaining passion for God.