✝ Daily Encouragement (11/10/22) Lessons From The Redwood Tree (Part 1) "Tested By Fire"
Published: Thu, 11/10/22
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Thursday, November 10, 2022
Standing inside a Redwood
tree
Notice the charred bark on the tree, especially to the
left
Click on photo to
enlarge
Lessons From The Redwood
Tree
(Part
1)
"
Tested By Fire"
Message summary:
We will all, in various ways, be tested by fire. May God give
us His assurance that these trials, in whatever form they appear "may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ".
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"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:3-9).
Yesterday we shared a message about the fading and falling leaves in our front lawn, primarily from our two large oak trees. Today we will share about a visit
my brother and I made last week to a grove of much larger trees when we visited a stand of Redwoods near Santa Cruz, California. These trees comparatively make our oaks seem quite small!
These giant trees are in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, a relatively small preserve not far from San Francisco (a day trip drive for us). There is a
loop walking trail through the grove that is less than a mile long so you see a lot in a short distance.
One thing (among several) I learned is that redwoods are resistant to fire. The park guide
states,
The sequoia sempervirens
, the ever-living redwood, is another name for the coast redwood. Its many survival adaptations include thick bark, long
roots, and its extraordinary height. Tannic acid within redwood bark gives it a rich cinnamon red color while providing defense against insects, fungus, and even fire. Almost indestructible, these huge trees persistently survive while battling the natural elements.
"More than 100 years have passed since the last forest fire burned through here. Most fires cannot penetrate the thick fibrous and almost fire resistant
redwood bark. An intense fire may burn through the bark and hollow out a tree, but, if enough living tissue remains unharmed, the tree, like this one, continues to live and slowly heal its fire scars." (I am standing in the hollow of this tree in the above photo, notice also the burn marks.)
These trees have certainly been "tested by fire"
which is a phrase in our daily Scripture text from 1 Peter. In this context the fire is
analogous to the various trials the believers were enduring. Although the early church surely had some of the same kinds of trials we have such as illness, worries about provision, family struggles, etc. most likely this was referring to various forms of persecution.
Late in the same book Peter wrote,
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange
were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12).
J. Vernon McGee wrote, "When God tests us today, He puts us into the furnace. He doesn’t do that to destroy us or to hurt or harm us. But He wants
pure gold, and that is the way He will get it. He tries to teach us this through our trials. He is drawing us closer to Him."
We will all, in various ways, be tested by fire. May God give us His assurance that these trials, in whatever form they appear,
"may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ".
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
![]() Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Blessings" Video Joni Eareckson Tada and Laura Story
"He Will Hold Me
Fast: Prayer for Peace" Video (Sung in Ukrainian, Russian & English) w/Joni Eareckson Tada
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is most famous for the 40-acre grove of towering old-growth redwood trees.
![]() This Redwood tree is known as "The Giant" and is
the largest in the park rising to 270 feet (25 stories) and over 17 feet wide. I had my brother Pat stand in front of it for perspective. I didn't get back from it far enough to show the entire height.
Click on photo to
enlarge
![]() How would you like to have a complexion like this? The
profusion of bumpy growths on this redwood tree are burls which are harmless to the tree.
Click on photo to
enlarge
The Pigeon Point Light
Station is along the coastal highway
On the way back to the
city we drove by and visited the visitor's center at the massive Apple Headquarters. The office building is in the form of a round disk.
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