"PLANT A TREE"

Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew that the world would end tomorrow.  He famously (allegedly) replied “plant a tree”.

Andrew Root in his book ‘Churches and The Crisis Of Decline’ uses the picture as an example of how followers of Jesus might live today.   He points out that in almost everything we listen to in the media today, or see in celebrated role models is built upon, what Charles Taylor calls the “immanent frame”.

The immanent frame (as opposed to a transcendent one) is the belief that  the world is sealed off and all we have is ourselves, our own power and wisdom.  In the immanent frame there is no heaven or meaningful ‘other’.  In the immanent frame we might say ‘our thoughts and prayers are with you’ but we don’t expect them to do anything.   We are it and this life is it and if we don’t make it happen, there is nothing else.   The immanent frame is discipling us day by day to live without reference or reliance on God.

St Pauls says in Romans 15.13, ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’. If we are to be filled with hope, the immanent frame acts like a layer of cling film over our souls preventing the transcendent hope of God from pouring into our hearts. 

Jon Tyson in his book ‘Beautiful Resistance’ talks about ‘cynicism’ stifling faith in our society leaving us with mistrust, disbelief, and a gnawing sense of hopelessness.  Cynicism, he says, is punctured by celebrating God……‘give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’ (1 Thess 5.18).

In WW2, before they sent the boats to Dunkirk on an impossible and improbable rescue mission there was a national day of prayer.  Into the immanent frame came the transcendent call to pray.   

To ‘plant a tree’ in the face of despair is to pierce the ‘cling film’ of the immanent frame’s narrative and allow heaven in.  We ‘plant a tree’ when we pray and trust in God’s sovereignty, eternal purposes, promises and plan. This autumn and winter I want to remember to celebrate and give thanks in all circumstances, to cast my burdens on him, to serve others, to share bread and wine, to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allow the hope of heaven in.