Tree Hugging for Lent

Dear Aspiring Arborists:

Throughout most of my ministry I have spent the season of Lent preparing and offering a special study series for the congregation I am pastoring; my fourth Lenten season at FPCLG will be no exception. These weekly presentations are sparsely attended; that too, has been a career-long tradition. My goal, however, is not significant enrollment but the simple personal discipline of working through a topic during these forty days of preparation.

The word lent comes from the Old English word lente for spring; it literally means lengthening, as the daylight lengthens in the season of spring. The Christian tradition marks the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, forty days if you omit Sundays. They parallel the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness following his baptism; there he fasted and prayed and was tempted by Satan. You’ll hear more about that from our Gospel lesson this coming Sunday.

This year’s study topic regards trees in the Bible. Fascinated by our ceramic mosaic tile installation by Natalie Blake, I hope to explore her subject matter in depth, not only the Tree of Life in Revelation 22.2, but the forest of trees found throughout scripture. Biblically, trees are examples of stability, metaphors for wisdom and proof of God’s provision. Every major Biblical character is identified with a tree or vine or wood. In scripture, a place desolate of trees is called a wilderness. When Jesus went into the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry to fast and pray, he left behind not only people, but vegetation. It was in that place Jesus encountered Satan; hell is a place where no trees can grow.

This year’s study, Trees in the Bible, will take a slight ecological turn. It’s clear that God loves trees; with the exception of people, scripture writers mention trees more than any other living thing. As a result, we will also talk about the global consequences of deforestation and how the devastation of trees demonstrates not only economic and ecological problems, but spiritual ones as well. If we are to show our love for God by caring for what God loves, then we need to consider our response to God’s love for trees. Perhaps our time together will inspire you to plant a tree.

I understand Trees in the Bible is not a marquee-grabbing topic. As I said, these little Lenten disciplines of mine are not necessarily crowd-pleasers. Still, as the days lengthen through this Lenten season, the sap runs and calls the forests back into life. I hope our time together stirs in us an enlivening understanding of God’s love that brings to bud the “leaves for the healing of the nations. [Revelation 22.2]”

Join me each Wednesday of Lent, beginning March 4. We will gather first for worship and Communion in the Ashland Avenue Chapel at 6:30 p.m. We will then adjourn to the Parlor for a time of study and devotion as we consider Trees in the Bible.

Seeking to be rooted in study, I remain,

With Love,
Jonathan Krogh
Your Pastor

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