Faith Like a Jack Pine

by Heather Tietz

In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait. But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 10:37-38

If there ever was a tree that might want to shrink back it may just be the Jack Pine. In Michigan, this tree houses something that no other tree in the world has, endangered Kirtland Warbler pairs. These lovely yellow and brown songbirds will only breed in young Jack Pine trees. However, young Jack Pines have not been readily available for these birds. Because the tree has tightly closed pine cones, it usually takes extreme heat to burst the cones open and let the seeds disperse. The mature Jack Pine has to submit to either fire or a biologist axe so their cones can be harvested, cooked open and the land clear for reseeding. Without one or the other seemingly tragic situations, there would be little growth of new Jack Pines and the Kirtland Warbler would nearer extinction

We serve an all-knowing God who can see the whole of His creation. He can see the Jack Pines of the world whose tightly closed cones hold hidden blessings. He can see those who flail about, unable to find a place of rest, like the Kirtland Warbler. In His grand perspective He knows that one needs to wait patiently while He prepares what they are asking for. Another needs the fire of tragedy to allow for blessings a hundredfold. He knows!

We have to trust. We can’t shrink back. Our good God has a good plan. Keep the faith. Trust Him.