"At least there is hope for a tree"

"At least there is hope for a tree"

 

On Tuesday, July 24, 2012, Larry Lee Palser, my brother-in-law escaped this life and planted his feet in heavenly places. Once again, the busyness of this life was interrupted with the opportunity to consider those things most precious; family, a firm spiritual foundation of faith and hope, and a heritage built on the faithfulness of our forefathers.

As we labored to comprehend the emotional and spiritual journey thrust before us, our family’s attention was turned to the writings of Job. “A person’s days are determined” (Job 14:5). Comfort was found in the assurance of God’s presence, even in times of disillusion and imbalance. Job, himself, struggled deeply with the significant loss confronting him, and yet his character would not allow him to “curse God and die” but his integrity steadied his faith… “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 2:9; 13:5).

In his despair, Job bemoaned “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail” (Job 14:7).

The expression is a promise of resurrection and renewal of life once it has been beaten down or razed by tragedy. As I meditated on the word picture, I sensed a spark of consolation and maybe even a glimmer of humor emerging out of the depths… “At least there is hope for a tree.” 

In my simplistic understanding of this imagery, if Job can find “hope for a tree” then perhaps I can find a “hope for me” when I am feeling like nothing more than a useless stump. Even the stump of a tree can be useful for a weary hiker seeking a place to recover from near exhaustion and find rest.

Job completes his analogy with a vision of the future, “yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant” (vs. 9).  It only takes a “scent of water” for the tree to regain its thrive to survive.

When faced with times of adversity and affliction which seem to throw us prostrate on our faces, may our tears of despair evolve into the scent of water giving birth to a sense of hope and satisfying renewal.