Sequoias: and Regeneration

 Growing in a lush grove, giant sequoia trees can stand up to 325 feet tall and live as long as 3,000 years. Their imposing size makes the giant sequoia seem remote and invincible, but these trees need the unpredictable heat of fire to reproduce.

When we hear about the horrendous fires encroaching on the groves of sequoias, and see pictures like this one, we can’t imagine how anything good could come from that. But fire helps giant sequoias in many ways.

The General Sherman Tree is the world's largest tree. It stands 275 feet tall, and is over 36 feet in diameter at the base. How beautiful is the strong, giant sequoia. It is so alive with light and color and life of all kinds.

But oh how it changes when the trees die. The earth that only a few months ago was teeming with color and life is now bleak and dead, and we think the only thing left is memories.

But, not so. Small, cones full of seeds awaiting germination grow near the crown of the trees, yet without fire or insects to crack open the cone, the seeds remain trapped inside. Fire dries out the cones, enabling them to crack open and deposit their seeds on the forest floor.

Giant sequoias have many trees and shrubs growing around their bases. The debris from these smaller plants coats the forest floor, creating a barrier that prevents falling seeds from reaching the soil. Shade from the smaller plants also makes the ground too cool for tiny seeds to survive. Fire eradicates these problems. Brush and smaller trees are destroyed, leaving sunny patches and a clear forest floor, perfect for germinating seeds. The end of one thing is the beginning of another, and the circle of life continues.

Thinking about the sequoias made me think about the way nature works, the circle of life and death, and how life carries on after we die. If we humans have fulfilled our purpose, like the giant sequoias, we bless others even after we are gone too.

Death is a fate that awaits us all. Each one of us will pass through the transition from the physical to the spiritual. The moment we are born we begin to die, physically. To the world, death is commonly considered a sad and dreaded occasion, much like the bleak, dead trees. It is an extinction of earthly life. It is decay and decomposition. But death is not the end of the story. We have faith that this is not just the final termination, but it is the beginning of a new journey. A much greater sojourn.

“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).

The greatest fears in life are connected to things that are unknown. Death is one of the greatest fears because so little is known about it. After all, no one in our lifetime has ever come back from the dead to tell us about it. There are those who claim life after death encounters, but it is difficult to prove or disprove the validity of their story. Our fear of death has fueled the popularity of the book/movie called “Heaven is for Real” among others. We like to believe such stories because it makes death a little less scary. We can put it in a box, label it and put it on a shelf.

But as Christians, we already have the consolation of “no fear” because we have confirmation that Jesus showed His power over death by His resurrection. We have no need of movies and personal testimonies of death encounters. The Bible offers promises that, for the Christian, increase our faith in life after death, as well as diminish fear about the subject. Our trust is in the unshakable and unchanging words of God, separate and apart from modern movies and books.

We also fear suffering. Nobody wants a terminal illness. Nobody wants chronic pain. Nobody wants to lose his mental faculties. Nobody wants to see a friend, parent, child, or grandparent endure surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or any other drastic measure to keep that person alive.

In many ways, it’s right to fear death and suffering. Since God made the universe “very good” (Gen. 1:1–2:4), death and disease are intruders. They’re here because of sin, and they’ll be gone in the new heavens and earth. Until then, however, we must live with our fear of death and disease. How can we glorify God in the midst of this reality?

Life is full of death. In the natural world, cycles of this paradox are everywhere. For every joy, there is grief. For every sunrise, there is a sunset. For every beauty there is horror. Happiness is balanced with sadness. Life presents so many different examples: old age/newborns, pain/carefree play, strength/weakness, work/rest, winter/spring, day/night…and on and on. Nature teaches us the lesson that “this too shall pass”, and all in this world is temporary. Life always leads to the ultimate paradox: life and death.

Just as the tree dies, the cycle continues after its death. The cones open and seeds fall on fertile soil and regenerate…and it goes on and on. The cycle is a transition from one form to another. The end of one stage is the beginning of another. If there is not life after death, then the cycle of nature is incomplete. Nature is always a witness to the consistency of God. The patterns of nature teach that in death, we are not coming to just an end of existence but to the beginning of another one.

Additionally, God’s people produce fruit that will last even after death. Just like the sequoia cones that feed the birds after they have died, so our love, kindness, faithfulness, and work in the Kingdom will survive our death and bless others as well, even after we are gone. Our earth-lives set a chain reaction for good that will continue throughout the generations.

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, Christians need not fear death. 

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). 

All people die physically, but Christ died so that we do not have to die spiritually. We have the assurance that the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us from the dead too, to live forevermore – and all because of the power of the blood of Jesus. And the earth-life that we lived will continue to bless others even after we depart the sojourns of this life.

It gives new meaning to the words of Jesus, 

“I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” 

John 11:25

Who knew a human was like a tree? We follow the Light while we are alive. We produce beautiful  cones, “fruit” (seeds) while we are on earth. We glorify God by being who He created us to be. We transition to another form when we die. We exist on His timeline. We bless even after we are gone from this life.

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.” 

Revelation 14:13

The circle of life in nature helps us view the words of the Bible with a new perspective. I know I’ve already quoted this verse once in the blog but it's one of my favorites.

 “Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also…So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 

 2 Cor. 4:14-18 

Death still lies ahead for me and for us all. Let us face our fear of it with courage, because Jesus has already faced death for us and won. We can rest our anxieties about death, knowing that God is in control. Trust God’s sovereignty. Death and disease don’t surprise Him. He’s numbered our days

"the days that were formed for me." Ps. 139:16, 

so He’s always accomplishing His good purposes for us.

Food for thought from Puritan John Owen:

“If the Word does not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.”