Consider The Young Maple Tree

O, beloved! Ye long for heaven, yes? Yes.

Methinks ye say: “why must time dillydally ever so slowly?!”

Ah, indeed. (sigh)

But, sweet child of God, some things can only come about in due Time.

Consider the little Maple tree, beloved.

Do not glance quickly at her. Take in every acute detail, please.

Notice how the tender bark is smooth? It hardly has any grooves, just yet. It’s still very vulnerable, you see? As she matures, grooves in the bark catch, and channel moisture more effectively during a hard rain. Grooves help her withstand longer periods of drought. The extra thickness helps protect her vascular cambium, sapwood, and ultimately her heartwood from pestilence and harmful insects. But thick bark can only develop slowly, over time. Even if she was able to speed up the growing process, the hasty expansion would naturally crack her delicate skin. This simply cannot be rushed, even though she, no doubt, longs for the added benefit, protection, and glory it will some Day provide.

Now, grab hold of one of her tender shoots, please. Feel how very limber she is? These may hold some leaves, yes, but not many. Aye, they will barely hold enough leaves to cast a shadow. Can she hope to provide cool shade for passersby in her current state? If a gentleman wishes to fashion cordage upon one of her branches to tie up a swing for his daughter, will it hold the precious child securely? Will the expecting young mother sparrow, full of life within, determine the young Maple’s delicate twigs worthy of a safe haven for her soon to be baby chicks? No. (said gently) With time, these woody sprouts will blossom into some of the strongest, ablest, magnificent arms…but they haven’t fully aged, not quite yet.

Also, she cannot hope to be any good for lumber. No, not yet. Even now, someone might scornfully laugh at the thought of taking time to bundle her puny twigs as “firewood”. Notice her slender trunk. See how you can lean upon it and it bends under little weight? She’s just beginning her journey, beloved. She’s beautiful, now, indeed! She has value, yes, even today as she stands. More value than we can measure. Although she’s not terribly useful, yet. I say that…hesitantly, of course, because the word “useful” can mean different things to different people in different situations. But for the purposes of this supplication, her usefulness is limited, verily.

And so, she needs time, you see, beloved? More time: more trials, more sunshine, more rain, more seasons. More intense daylight, more rest at nighttime, more periods of drought so her roots can sink deeper into the earth’s soil for added stability, more blustering winds so she can test her strength as she flexes and waves and praises her Maker, more learning and trusting in letting go of leaves - that which she has daily nourished and nurtured and fed - all the while hoping new buds will return once again as described by His loving design.

She happily allows God to let nature run its course. She doesn’t just wait passively. No. She gladly forbears all things in loving obedience to her Maker. So why can’t we? She doesn’t appear to be recklessly, anxiously, hurrying things along. She’s, content. She, trusts.

Therefore, O, beloved (said extra tenderly), let’s put the same trust in our loving Creator. Whenever we’re tempted to doubt, to question His goodness, distrust His sovereign purpose in using time; may we consider the young Maple tree as our kind tutor. It’s not just time, beloved, it’s His Time.

Let us be patient. O, my young anxious soul, wait upon your God.