ASPEN’S EXAMPLE
by Pastor Lem Niere
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” Revelation 7:9
It is amazing how nature teaches us spiritual lessons if we just pay careful attention.
Aspen trees, with their glorious golden autumn leaves and smooth light bark—are North America’s most widespread tree. But did you know they’re not individual trees? When you see a grove of aspen, the trees are actually a single, connected organism that spreads through the root system.
The oldest known aspen “clone” (where each tree is genetically alike) is in Utah, and is thought to be older than the sequoias or bristlecone pines—thousands of years old! This massive organism covers just over 100 acres and includes an estimated 47,000 trees. One organism! (Sources: National Forest Foundation and Forbes websites)
The Body of Christ is like that. Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthian Church: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” Individuals, but the same body. The same DNA—the blood of Jesus. Imagine what it will be like one day to stand before God’s throne with our brothers and sisters of every nation, every tribe, every language. Our eyes on the Father and on Jesus Christ the Lamb, worshiping together with one voice.
How much the Father’s heart is for us to act like one body now, here on earth! Connected together by our root system across the divide of country borders, across language barriers, across cultural practices, across racial differences.
The church has a hard time staying connected as one organism even within an individual church, and as churches within the same town. IT seems hopelessly idealistic to think we could be one Body across countries and cultures!
And yet that was Jesus’ final prayer before going to the cross:
“Holy Father, keep them through Your name which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are.”
