An Evergreen Cypress

For some reason I found myself reading from Hosea a few nights ago.  What took me there I am not sure, but, nonetheless, there I was reading along and suddenly running into a new image of God.  As we read the prophets we often find ourselves reading not what the prophet is saying to the people, but what God is saying.  In such a passage (Hosea 14:8) we hear the voice of God saying, "I am like an evergreen cypress..."  Of course, the Bible is rich in tree images and stories.  Eden had its trees, the Israelites made idols of them, Zacchaeus climbed one, and Jesus died on another. 

 

But, it was something new for this reader of the Word to think of God likening Himself to an evergreen tree.  The evergreen tree is just what it says.  It is always green.  It is not affected by changing weather which causes changes in the color of foliage.  It just stays green.  Constant is what it is.  When every other tree is barren, it stands full of the life that is within it.  It was one of those passages which hung around in my mind for a time as I kept thinking of God in this new way.

 

While God is constant and unchanging and utterly dependable to be Who He proclaims Himself to be, there is always something new to learn about Him and always new ways to understand Him.  The one thing we will never do is figure Him out completely.  He is as abundant in mystery as He is in power.  We might like to get Him in some box of understanding that we have constructed, but the truth is there is not a box for Him.  He is known in many, many ways.  We could write down a long list of names and images which help us know Him and His nature.  And now, there is another.  He is like an evergreen cypress.  It is what He has said about Himself and it becomes another window for us to see and experience Him.