Early this spring, I noticed that before the leaves are formed, the seeds are created for some trees. A tree prioritizing seeds before any other growth is meaningful. Interestingly, the name of this tree is tree of heaven.
I walked a little further and found the same type of tree. This tree's leaves had come and gone, and the tree hung on to its seeds all through the winter. The seeds were the recipients of the tree's first energy and the seeds were the last thing the tree clung to.
At the time, one of my dear aunts was in her last weeks of a long and courageous battle with illness, and I was thinking about her. The seeds clinging to the tree reminded me of how our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves us from before our birth and is with us until our last breath. His name is the Alpha and Omega- the Beginning and the End. These titles are descriptive of God's role in the creation of the earth, but also describe how He loves each one of us. He loves us from the beginning until the end. No other person loves us as deeply and cares for us from the beginning until the end, as the Lord does. This song captures that sentiment: "No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus" by Steffany Gretzinger.
Since I was watching my phone closely for updates on my aunt's condition, watching spring flowers bloom felt like a lesson in God's love for us. All year the trees work to bring forth seeds and fruit. The flowers emerge tightly bundled like a swaddled newborn, then gradually open with fragrance and beauty to become a fruit with seeds.
After I took the picture below of apple blossoms, I came inside. I hadn't noticed the reflection of an apple in the blossom until I was inside. Can you see it? The flower and the fruit, the beginning and the end, both held by God's light and love, as each of us are, from our beginning until our end.
I wanted to share one more story about God's love for each of his children. This experience took place at an amusement park, not a place I was expecting to be meaningful. My work paid for our family to go, and my kids were beyond excited to go. We had never been there before as a family. I was surprised that I genuinely enjoyed it, mostly seeing my kids' big smiles and their excitement. At one point, we were waiting in a long line with a crowd around us, and to get a mental break from the crowd, I looked up at the sun coming through the leaves. The sunlight brings out each leaf's intricate design, the veins, and the edges of the leaves.
In Japanese, they have a special word that describes the harmony and tranquility of sunlight filtering through tree leaves, "komorebi." The wind swaying the leaves while the sun shines through them is beautiful, and watching the dance of the leaves, sunshine, and breeze never grows old. I felt the Spirit tell me that the Lord looks at his children this way, and sees each one with complete love and deep appreciation, never tiring of seeing us. In His eyes, we are a treasure. Like I enjoyed the dance between the sun, wind, and leaves, God sees the friendships and the love between his children as a beautiful dance that is pleasing to watch. We tend to focus on outward appearances and the differences that separate us. The Lord sees our hearts and we are each of deep worth, beauty, and great value to Him. This song, "Belovedness" by Sarah Kroger, was new to me this year. I love the words of the chorus. It reminded me of my dear aunt and how the Lord must have smiled when He made her. I think He smiled when He made you and me too!
He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you.
I find you beautiful in every way
My love for you is fierce and unending
I'll come to find you, whatever it takes
My beloved, it's time to own your belovedness."
I hope that whatever challenges you are facing, you also feel God's immense love for you. When you feel the sunlight warming your skin, or see the trees' leaves dancing in the wind, or hear the birds chirping, know they are all part of God's love for you. As He cares for the birds and the flowers, He will care for you. Like He knows every line on every leaf, He knows every detail about you- the hairs on your head, your fingerprint, and what is in your heart and how to heal it. He is the only true source of peace and healing!
