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My family and I enjoy exploring this beautiful world God created. On a recent trip to the Rocky Mountains, we learned about the aspen tree. These white-barked trees put on a beautiful display during the fall, covering the mountains with their golden “quaking” leaves, which appear to tremble as the wind blows.

What makes this tree so remarkable is that aspens grow in clusters, and the trees in each stand of aspens share the same DNA. That’s because they can sprout a new tree directly from their roots. These clusters are all united by the same hardy root system—a system that quickly sprouts new trees after a fire because it grows below the fire’s reach. The aspen’s bark is photosynthetic, meaning that it can continue to grow in the dead of winter, even after shedding its leaves. Some aspen stands are so big that they are considered among the largest living organisms in the world.

Jesus often used illustrations from the natural world to help people understand spiritual truths. Most people in ancient times grew their own food. They knew the work involved in planting seeds, tending their fledgling plants, and waiting for the harvest to come. In one such account, Jesus compared Himself to a vine and us to branches: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In this illustration, we learn that we are vitally connected to Christ. He is the source of our spiritual nourishment. We cannot grow or bear fruit apart from Him.

In John 17, Jesus illustrates this connection even more as He describes how we are united not only to our triune God but also to one another. He prayed “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (v. 21). A large stand of aspens shares the same root system. As believers, we are all rooted in Christ. We receive our life from Him. We grow and thrive out of our union to Him. His Spirit lives in us, encouraging us, instructing us, ensuring our growth in faith, and producing the fruit of righteousness in us.

Also like the aspen, we are united to others. We are united not by DNA but by the blood of Christ, and our union is forever. Every believer in the past, the present, and the future is part of the family of God. While the aspen may be one of the largest living organisms, the church outnumbers the stars in the sky. Our united love for one another shows the world who Jesus is and what He came to do.

God’s marvelous creation points us to spiritual truths. May the aspen remind us of our union with Christ and one another.

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From the February 2022 Issue
Feb 2022 Issue