The Joshua Tree
March 17, 2016
Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a
year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
While Joel and I were in Nevada skiing, we stayed with some friends who lived near Fallon. It was amazing to me how we could be in the mountains skiing in the snow and then drive down into the desert where they lived. There were plenty of trees in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, but the desert was mostly barren. There was sage brush and some desert grass but no trees except for Joshua trees. When I first saw one, I asked our friends what it was and after they told me I did a little research. The tree was named by Mormon settlers as they crossed the desert in the mid-19th century. The tree’s shape reminded them of the Biblical story of Joshua lifting up his hands in prayer. Joshua trees grow quickly during their first several years and they send down roots deep, some as deep as 36 feet. They can grow to be 49 feet and can live hundreds of years, some even a thousand. Wow! What lessons we can find in the Joshua tree! Remember to pray and lift our hands to the sky in prayer and praise. Put down deep roots and drink deeply from the Lord’s reservoir, even in our driest desert times. God will sustain us with long and even eternal lives when we trust and rely upon Him. Thanks to whoever named these plants Joshua trees and to Our God who created them.
year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
While Joel and I were in Nevada skiing, we stayed with some friends who lived near Fallon. It was amazing to me how we could be in the mountains skiing in the snow and then drive down into the desert where they lived. There were plenty of trees in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, but the desert was mostly barren. There was sage brush and some desert grass but no trees except for Joshua trees. When I first saw one, I asked our friends what it was and after they told me I did a little research. The tree was named by Mormon settlers as they crossed the desert in the mid-19th century. The tree’s shape reminded them of the Biblical story of Joshua lifting up his hands in prayer. Joshua trees grow quickly during their first several years and they send down roots deep, some as deep as 36 feet. They can grow to be 49 feet and can live hundreds of years, some even a thousand. Wow! What lessons we can find in the Joshua tree! Remember to pray and lift our hands to the sky in prayer and praise. Put down deep roots and drink deeply from the Lord’s reservoir, even in our driest desert times. God will sustain us with long and even eternal lives when we trust and rely upon Him. Thanks to whoever named these plants Joshua trees and to Our God who created them.
Neil Epler, Congregational Care Pastor