Yesterday was National Arbor Day. The beginnings of the day are rather interesting, and it takes us back to the days of the pioneers who were moving from the east to the west. The east had many trees and forests. This is something the west isn’t especially known for, especially Nebraska, and the pioneers wanted a taste of home.
J.Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor and journalist, established this day on April 10, 1872. The intent was to encourage the pioneers to plant as many trees as possible. They rose to the challenge and planted over 1 million trees in the first year!
In 1972, President Richard Nixon declared the last Friday of April to be National Arbor Day. This decision was made to avoid conflicts with Good Friday and school spring breaks. Arbor societies will visit the local school, and kids will come out with a pine tree starter, the root ball wrapped up in a thin bag to contain the dirt and moisture. Bus drivers just love this day! Those thin bags invite the kids to pick, tearing holes and allowing dirt to trickle on the floor. Kids are reminded that this is NOT a toy, do NOT pick at it, do NOT slap someone with it, and do NOT shake it. It is very difficult to sweep up pine needles from the floors. The reminders are remembered for only a short time!
Years ago, we planted our fair share of trees. Homeschooled kids don’t get visits from the Arbor Society, but a lot of the bus kids are bored with their trees after half the ride (or less) and want to throw the trees away. I would bring them home, planting them on the property. ALL have died. The one that lived the longest made it a couple of years. Obviously, I do not have much of a green thumb and would not be able to secure a job as an arborist!
As I was preparing this devotional, one verse of Scripture popped into my mind: Isaiah
55:12. “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” You have to plant the trees in order to have the trees that will clap their hands.
Many of our hymns talk about nature praising God. The second verse of one of Thomas Chilsom’s most familiar hymns says,
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Isaac Watts’ 1715 hymn I Sing The Mighty Power of God uses every verse to demonstrate how God’s creation reveals His goodness and nature.
I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.
“No matter where I look,” Watts says, “I see the wonders of God. I know that He is present 
there.” This is a wonderful truth; one we dare not take for granted.
Today, maybe you could plant a tree. If not, take a walk in the woods, go for a hike, or just sit in your backyard, gazing at nature while you praise and worship the Creator of all.
Jeremiah 10:12-13 reminds us, “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. (13) When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.”
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