Every tree is a marvel of God’s creation. Think of the giant Sequoia that begins life from a small seed, tucked in a cone, that has taken root in the moist ground. After germinating, it may grow for as long as four thousand years, reaching a height of three hundred feet or more. Or perhaps the word “tree” brings to mind fruit trees blooming in orchards in the spring.
The Creator made the first trees three days before He created Adam. The trees already had fruit for Adam and Eve to eat when they were placed on the earth shortly afterward. When God looked on what He had created, He “saw that it was good,” and it has been good ever since.
The bald cypress trees in the southern United States are an unusual variety. These relatives of the Redwoods grow in water in swampy areas. They are sometimes called fat-bottomed cypress trees because of large “knees” at the base of their trunks which protrude from the water. Above the knees, the trunks grow straight and tall. The trees’ flat needles drop in winter, making them non-evergreen conifers.
Among the many groves of this lovely tree is one called Moro Bottoms in Arkansas. It also has a wide variety of other trees, providing a lovely place to visit. The Big Bend Wildlife Refuge in Florida also has beautiful stands of bald cypress. And in the nearby Everglades Park, trails and foot bridges enable visitors to get close to beautiful groves of this outstanding tree.
In the Chicksaw Wildlife Refuge in western Tennessee, trails allow visitors to reach out and touch the trunks of these trees, standing so stately in water. More can be seen in the Black River Reserve of North Carolina, which is home to some of the oldest bald cypress trees in North America. These unusual trees can also be seen in the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana.
In addition to these trees, many other varieties help beautify these preserves, and visitors also often see colorful birds and a variety of water-loving animals. These all show the wonders of God’s creation and are part of His design for the world around us.
Do you believe what the Bible tells us, that it was His creative wisdom and power that made these beautiful displays for us to enjoy? Along with our opening verse, here are several more verses that assure us this is true: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:33Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)). Also, “The living God . . . [gives] us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:1717Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1 Timothy 6:17)). I believe it. Do you?
ML-12/14/2003
DECEMBER 14, 2003