The Trembling Giant

We called the dinner for the ladies at church New Faces/Familiar Faces – a much, much better choice than New Faces/Old Faces.  The whole idea was to welcome the ladies who had recently joined our church and help them feel more a part of the women’s activities –  a time of fellowship and fun and a devotional - and eating, of course.  Where two or three are gathered, we eat.  If you simply combine being southern and being Baptist, the result is a meal.

After we ate, Meredith McLendon gave a short devotional.  She talked about the stand of aspen trees in Utah that is considered the largest living single organism.  They are all connected by the same root system. Pretty amazing.  The first time I heard about those trees, I thought I had heard wrong.  I did some research.  Turns out, I had heard right.  Those 47,000 trees really are connected by the same root system. The stand of aspens in Fishlake National Forest is called Pando, which comes from Latin for “spread out.”  The  other name for that stand of trees is “The Trembling Giant.”  (These are quaking aspens, so the trembling part makes sense.)

There were some things that Meredith did not have time to mention since she had a short time to speak.  Those aspen trees came from a single tree thousands of years ago.  Scientists believe that the  first tree was probably destroyed by fire.  But the roots were still there and they spread out as far as 100 feet.  They sent out shoots which grew into new trees.  And as time went on, the theory is that lightning strikes caused other fires.  Trees were destroyed – but not the roots.  Those roots got busy and started a bunch of new trees.  And on and on for 80,000 years or so.   Every tree is genetically identical.  Every one.  Because underneath, where you can’t even see, they have a common root system.  It feeds them and anchors them and makes them thrive.

But there is a problem.  The stand of aspens is in danger.  The trees are getting old and dying off.  There are not enough new trees to replace them.  Guess why.  The trees are not being destroyed.  Modern firefighting and fire prevention have saved those trees.  Except they are dying.  They only reproduce from the roots and the new shoots cannot grow in shade.  The grown trees are making it impossible for the young trees to survive.  Who knew that fire could be a tree’s best friend?  

So, what does an aspen stand have to do with you and me?  How many times have you been through a “fire” and thought you had encountered a full-fledged disaster?   And later, you could see that the “fire” brought about a lot of growth.   Things have changed; they will never be the same.  But, wait.  Something is springing up from the ruins.  The disaster is no less awful, but in the space it left, something good can emerge.  We are rooted in God’s love.  We all have the same Father; we are kinfolk.  And because of that connection, we always have somewhere to turn when things go wrong.  Someone to turn to for comfort.  Someone to anchor us, feed us, and help us thrive.   

It takes years to grow an aspen tree, and while it gets taller, it roots spread out.  The roots are as wide as the tree is tall.  God’s love for us is not just deep and wide.  It is infinite.  He loves you unconditionally and forever.  So when lightning strikes and you begin to feel defeated, be an aspen.  Reach out with faith rooted in God’s unending love for you and see what grows in the Sonshine.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  1 Corinthians 12:27