[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during June 2022]
Does it sound idyllic? Afternoon tea on the terrace under the shade of the walnut trees, accompanied by birdsong and the gentle melody of the wind chimes. A serving of apple torte with fresh cream; the apples are home-grown and the cream comes from one of the cows grazing calmly on the hills on the other side of the lake.
However, the trees need to be sprayed and pruned, the apples need to be picked and prepared, and the cows need to be milked – a messy and smelly process. So perhaps there is more to sitting in the shade of a tree than just the relaxing bit.
In the book of Jonah[1] we find the prophet sitting under the shade of a leafy plant. He had completed his work but he was not happy. God had instructed Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh about their sinful ways and impending judgment but, contrary to Jonah’s wishes and expectations, the people of Nineveh repented and God withdrew his judgment. Instead, God rebuked Jonah for his prejudice; his plan was not in tune with God’s plan.
At the beginning of John’s gospel account we read of Nathaniel sitting under the shade of a fig tree. Some sources equate the Nathaniel of John’s gospel with the disciple Bartholomew mentioned by Matthew, Mark and Luke. If that is so then that time of relaxation under the fig tree may have been his last idle moment.
Do these reference imply that God is anti-rest, that he disapproves of people sitting idly under a tree? On the contrary, God himself established the principle of rest, not least by his example at the end of creation when God reviewed what he had made and declared a period of rest.
In Genesis 18 we see Abraham and his three visitors sitting under the shade of a tree. Two very significant events were discussed during that visit: the birth of Isaac and the founding of the Israelite nation, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah due to persistent sinfulness. Unlike the people of Nineveh, the people of those cities did not take heed to the righteous man amongst them.
As one of the apostles, Bartholomew would have heard Jesus say “Come unto me … and I will give you rest”[2]. Did he take that promise seriously? Bartholomew is credited with taking the gospel to the area formerly known as greater Armenia, where he was eventually martyred. God’s plans became his plans and in due course God granted him eternal rest.
How do your plans relate to God’s plans?
Will you, too, one day receive God’s eternal rest?
[1] Jonah 4 v6
[2] John 1 v48
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
Thank you once again for your insightful thoughts about Biblical events involving shade and relaxation.
A little earlier this afternoon, after cutting the lawn, I was indeed relaxing and admiring my handiwork before drifting into a state of repose!! Now I feel a little guilty.
Every Blessing,
Clive and Janet.