Gardening That Lasts Beyond a Season

Springtime is welcomed with open arms in the upper Midwest where I’m from.  Not only are we sick of cold weather, but we’re thrilled that the barren landscape and gray sky come alive with green and yellow and blue.  But from my perspective, all the beauty of Spring requires quite a bit of effort on my part.  Well, mostly it’s the Energizer-bunny who lives with me who does much of the outside work this time of year, but I do help.  A little.

What happens to prepare for growing season around where I live?  Lawns need to be raked, leftover Winter leaves still need to be gathered from flower beds, fertilizing, re-seeding, and mulching must be done to prepare for the full-blown beauty that the season provides. 

And then there are the trees.  Those stately long-lasting additions to any landscape don’t just pop up, they must be planned for.  The joy they bring with early-Spring flowers followed by mid-Summer shade is worth waiting for.  But too quickly the October tinges of color become piles of leaves gathered for the kids to play in, and the growing process seems to end for the year.  Yet each year it seems we plant at least one more tree around our home, still excited for what it might return to us in the coming years.

The all-time tree-planting hero in our region, the legendary Johnny Appleseed, hiked across the landscape planting trees a couple hundred years ago.  What many don’t know about John Chapman (Johnny’s real name) is that he planted trees with a plan and shared his faith as he moved through the area.  He wasn’t just wandering around dropping seeds into the soil as he traveled.  Instead, he was a man with a strategy, determined to claim a land and share his faith. 

It seems Abraham might have been the ultimate role model for John Chapman.  After his son, Isaac, had been born and his other son, Ishmael, had been sent out from his household, Abraham was determined to put down roots.  A little-known verse in Genesis speaks about the only recorded instance of Abraham’s efforts as an arborist. 

The passage in Genesis 21:33 says, “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.”   

Beersheba

It may not be obvious to us, but Beersheba is located at the northern edge of the Negev desert, not at all a pleasant place for a tree or anything else to live.  Yet Abraham determined that he would claim that spot according to the promise of God.  Remember that God had promised Abraham a home in this faraway land – the “promised land” for his descendants, the Jews.  And while his act of planting a tree in a desert location might seem like just a symbolic act to those who live in the green, lush, northern Midwest, in this barren place it was an act of deep faith.

Does it make the picture clearer to know that the Tamarisk tree can grow as little as one inch per year?  The Tamarisk can grow as tall as 40-50 feet, so it might take 400-500 years to reach full size.  Why would Abraham plant a tree that grows so slowly?  Because he didn’t plant it for himself.  Abraham didn’t plant the tree to provide shade for Isaac, or even for Jacob.  He hoped that SOMEDAY it would provide shade and comfort to those who would be descended from him according to God’s promise.  For Abraham, it was all about the future generations who would find shelter and a respite from the sun in that place.  Abraham understood what his legacy would be.  Do we?

I pray the actions we take today make a difference for the Kingdom of God for generations to come.  Someone many years ago shared the truth and the love of Christ with another, who shared it with another, until it came to you.  Take a moment and imagine who may find shelter under that metaphorical Tamarisk tree you plant today as you trust the Everlasting God to make it grow.

Jacob