Julie Lavender

CONSIDER THE LOBLOLLY PINE TREE
by Julie Lavender

When I walk with God, I intentionally explore His handiwork surrounding me. I’ve always been in awe of God’s creations for their beauty, but in recent months, I’ve asked God to help me learn more about Him through His masterpieces. Or, to teach me life lessons through the world He created.

In fact, that’s how this blog was birthed. I enjoy sharing what God reveals to me about nature, and I especially love to capture photographs of His beautiful world.

Consider God's masterpieces and be wise

Each week, I find something beautiful to photo, examine, explore, and research. I fall back on the verse in Proverbs, chapter 6, verse 6, that says, “Go to the ant; consider her ways, and be wise.”

So far in my blog, I’ve considered the spiderwort and Spanish moss and the slimy salamander and cypress knees and Canada geese and the yaupon and the pecan tree and the redstart and a beautyberry bush and a golden orb weaver and mistletoe.

Lessons from nature

Lessons learned about God’s character or the world in which I live emerge from my walk with God, after research and examination and prayer.

But this week – I’m considering the Loblolly pine tree, specifically at this time of year. And though there are intriguing bits of trivia about the Loblolly pine tree, the message I gleaned from God’s Loblolly pine tree is plain and simple and needs no research: 

          it’s all about the cross.

God created the pine trees to open their cones at just the right time for the wind or birds to carry and disperse the seeds. Then there are other pine trees that hold on tight to their seeds for years and only release the seeds when a forest fire heats up the cone, causing it to open, thereby dropping seeds to the burned ground to replenish the earth and start the life cycle all over again.

‘Male’ pine cones drop from trees once the pollen has been released to the forest floor, but female cones remain on the tree longer to mature after pollination.

Look unto the cross

Pine trees grow taller by sending out shoots, typically standing tall and pointing towards the sky. Pine needles emerge from the shoots eventually.

Some species of pine tree, the Loblolly included, tend to put on the beginnings of cones perpendicular to the shoots, at just the right time of year that the careful observer can spot what appear to be crosses, just before Easter.

How does it almost always happen just prior to Easter? Well, that’s just our amazing God, reminding us that it’s all about the cross.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” Hebrews 12:2 KJV.

I shouldn’t need a reminder to look unto Jesus, to look to the cross – it should come naturally each moment of every day. But life tends to get in the way and cloud my vision. I like that God uses yet another one of His beautiful masterpieces to point me in the right direction.

Thank you, God, for 

the cross.

What about you? Have you seen the crosses in the tops of pine trees? Where has God revealed ‘the cross’ to you this Easter season?

Tell me below about your cross-sightings this week - I'd love to hear from you!