One morning I sat under a majestic oak, broad and tall, that was providing a fine shade and a good home. In its branches birds of many kinds played and rested. I sat resting against this oak tree and gazed over the summer fields down the hill and over the valleys below. The tall grasses were dancing to the breeze with a hypnotic rhythm amid songs of crickets and crows in the distance. As I enjoyed the scene the breeze blew up my hill and I felt a chill from the coolness of the morning. Wishing to be warmed like the dancing grasses in the meadow I longed for the warmth of the sun's radiance against my skin, penetrating and relaxing and soothing me to a comfortable glow.

Yet, I could not receive the benefit of the sun's rays because of the expansiveness of my large tree since it eclipsed the sun and left me in a shivering shadow. As I sat in the shade and pondered my dilemma I glanced up at my oak companion above. Were he not obstructing my view of the sun I would be brightened by its light, and warmed by its heat. As I pondered my problem a solution simmered in my mind, small at first and growing in its completeness. As I mulled the solution a smile crept onto my chilled face. My problem was to be soon solved by the ingeniousness of my humanity.

So, I arose and directly cut down the source of my chill – this intrusive and obstinate tree. It thundered to the ground in defeat and birds and beast fled from my triumph. I smiled to myself in satisfaction and returned to the comfort of my seat against the fallen mighty beast that once had prevented the warming rays of the sun. I felt both empowered and warmed by my decisive and brilliant action. I had been presented with a predicament and had arisen to the challenge. I alone had invented such a complete solution as this. Though tall and strong this oak could not stand in the way of my genius.

As the warm rays of the sun melted the morning chill, I basked in the glow of my might and cleverness. Gazing once again down at the serenity of the tall grasses bowing to and fro at the whim of the breeze I too now soaked in the life energy of the sun. With such a peaceful and tranquil day, and being warmed to a slumbering perfection I drifted off to sleep amid the serenade of crickets and far away doves calling me to dream.

* * *

I awoke in a sudden sweat. Morning had retreated to the coolness of distant brooks and the sun of summer had invited the hot passion of the noon day, and she was close and angry.  I tried to clear the fog of my slumber and noted that I had slept for many hours.  The dancing breeze of morning had settled down to the hot stillness of an August summer, and the Sun boasted of its might and power. Timidly I looked about the tall hill for relief. Lush yet barren, my paradise now my prison, I turned to find my friend the oak dead and useless. My arrogance of the morning now turned to the dread of noon as the heat of the Sun dried my parched tongue. The foolishness of my previous actions now lay clearly evident before me as inescapable as the noonday heat. I longed for the cooling sanctuary of the mighty oak, yet I had in my haste reduced it to waste.

* * *

Nietzsche declared, “God is dead, and we have killed Him!” God stood towering above us, preventing us from realizing the height of our potential and squashing our ambitions by His myth. In the excitement of our dawn we rejoiced in the thought of the freedom of a world without the tortures of hell and the limitations of guilt. No longer would men be inhibited, no longer prevented by superstition from achieving all that he desired and was capable of. No longer would He obstruct our view of the sun and prevent our joy at her heat and passion.

Yet now in the desert of our day when the sun beats unmercifully down, and when in the distance mighty storms gather and crash against our unprotected world we begin to long for the shelter and protection of the might and love of God. The rush to foolishness and the arrogance of our previous “illumination” now is revealed to have been but the darkness of our souls providing the wrong solution.

* * *

As I pondered my position on this once fair and peacefully protected hill, now transformed to an oven of my own making I noticed an oak spread atop a far hill. Memories of the pleasant shade of my old and loyal companion stirred my mind to again seek a solution to my problem. I resolved to remove myself from this barren hill and follow wisdom's call to the oak still standing on the other hill. As I saw its branches towering above that hill, and the birds landing in the pleasant branches, I jumped up and began the descent down my hill to the far and fair hill. Thoughts of the cooling shade and merciful rest that waited motivated me all the more to quicken my pace.

As I drew near the hill my thoughts were interrupted by a scene; this is what I saw before me. Under the shade of the oak on this distant hill were several as I, already enjoying the coolness and rest of this mighty oak and pleasant hill. No doubt these had observed my arrogant and foolish actions of the morning and would deride and brutalize such a fool as I. Certainly their fear that I would again make such a rash and cruel decision would find in them occasion to fear for their strong and mighty oak, having seen what I had done with my own.

And so I stopped in my fear and pride and sat in the hot and dusty valley below the hill, and considered my situation. I could in no wise go back to where I came from for certainly there was no rest there, yet I could not proceed to where there was rest for sure because of those guarding the way.

* * *

Many today have come to know that the solution they chose was wrong, and that their path only left emptiness and loneliness in the cruel hot summer of life. Yet, though we guess that one hill or another may provide solace from our emptiness and misery, we for various reasons fear to climb. Maybe the residents already under the shade will drive us off from fear or judgment, or maybe they will ridicule and humiliate us for our earlier hatred and brash decisions.

The oaks of God's Kingdom are tall and pleasant, and freely available to all tired and parched travelers. God may have been dead, and we may indeed have killed Him. Yet the hope of the Christian rests firmly on just that fact – that God was dead, yet through the power of the Resurrection has arisen from the dead to newness of life. Having paid the penalty for the sins and rebellion of the whole world – having been killed by all of us – Christ arose on the third day. Out of the mystery of the resurrection grows the tallness of the shade of our hope – which all the power of God that resurrected Christ from the dead is available to us who believe in Him. Christ stands as one who has conquered death, loneliness, and all the parched and sun-dried land, and offers the sanctuary of His cooling and saving Love to all who will receive.

* * *

As I sat in the withering heat and contemplated my situation, and the pleasant hill above I ventured to look again with a longing eye to the shade of the majestic oak.  Possibly the vision of coolness and tranquility would console my spirit and help me to endure my misery. Looking up I noticed a strange and frightening sight: A walker was coming down the hill in my direction. Would he chase me from these parts back to the shame of my destruction? Would he beat me with the just reward for my foolishness?

Yet, inexplicably, this walker was smiling and hurrying in my direction. He waved as he approached, and in his hand was a cup of life-giving water to cool and relieve my swollen tongue. I watched in helpless amazement as he approached with merciful speed to bring me, the destroyer, help.

* * *

As I relax under the cool branches of the tall oak in the company of my new friends and companions I again am hypnotized by the wave of the grasses now bending to the evening breeze. The Sun has cooled and the breeze is sweetly mild. Yet, now the serenity is much more delicious because of the community I now enjoy. My old oak lays dead in my shame, yet I have found a new home on this hill. In time I, or another, will again plant a small oak on that far off hill that will again provide rest and shade to a hot and dusty traveler. Yet for today I rest…and I bask in the warmth of the shade of my new oak and friends.

Topics

• Adventism
• Theology
• Gardening

Snapshot

“Picturesque essay about God's love.”

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