Thickets

I received a book from a dear brother in Christ called, Reforesting Faith by Matthew Sleeth, M.D. I often receive books from others who are passionate about a particular subject, but, unfortunately, will sit on my shelf forever because they are of no interest at all to me. 

I wasn't sure about this one. Was it going to be like reading through biblical genealogies without dozing off, except this was going to be stumbling through genus and species? Gladly, it was not. It actually was a very engaging book that connected almost every major biblical event with some sort of tree. From the Tree of Life in Genesis to the Tree of Life in Revelation, a tree of some form was rooting or grounding the story. Tamarisk, oak, fig, olive, palm - find a tree, find a relevant biblical story. 

A dense grouping of trees or bushes is known as a "thicket." If you are a hunter or a farmer you are well aware of the term. It is usually where your prey was lost or where you found the calf that strayed. A thicket will freely contribute scratches to the skin, torn clothing, and an occasional poke to the eye. It is a difficult place - a difficult place to see, a difficult place to walk, a difficult place to escape if a predator enters (like a wild boar, a coyote, or a bunny rabbit). 

I came across a passage in the Book of Jeremiah this week that struck me as a bit odd and yet relevant to the situation we have found ourselves in with this virus, the riots, and with lawlessness that seems to be pervasive - a passage connected to trees (a thicket). 

"If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" (Jer. 12:5b). 

Note:  The word "thicket" can also be translated "pride" as in a pride of lions, or "height" as in the rising floodwaters. In Hebrew it is simply a place where one feels fear or danger. 

Paraphrase:  If you feel unstable now, what are you going to do when real chaos happens? 

Yes, things have been in the category of inconvenient of late. We have been sequestered in some form for over 90 days. We have experienced some form of fear or a level of impatience or anger, perhaps even rage at the thing or the person causing momentary afflictions. We have experienced limitations on social connections, work, groceries, travel, etc... And to be honest I don't know if this will ever end. There doesn't seem to be a "clear" after the "green" or even a light green or a blue or a nice beige. I would settle for an eggshell off-white at this point but no word from Harrisburg at present. TBD (to be determined) or TBP (to be prolonged). 

We apparently are waiting for a vaccine that will take six months or a year or eighteen months to get here. A vaccine that a great many of us will not choose to get anyway - just like the average flu vaccine. Perhaps we won't have a choice - hmmmm, think things are rough on our civil liberties now wait until they start forcing more things on us in the name of "public safety." Hey, I'm all in favor of "click it or ticket" but when you start shooting me up for a virus that in all likelihood will do nothing but make me miserable for a few days - no thanks. Let me be part of the herd. 

We must put things in perspective. We must. Because we still, for the most part, live in a safe country/county. 

I am afraid we have found ourselves in a thicket facing a ferocious bunny but the lion lies in wait. 

Remember - "The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." 

Rejoicing - Dad's stay strong and healthy for your family - Happy Father's Day on Sunday. 

Maranatha!