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What do you see when you look at a tree? Most of us admire the beauty of its far-reaching branches with their tributaries going off in every direction, their leafy growth, and grand stature. However, to truly appreciate something, you need to be able to put that thing into a story.

If you are a pantheist, you will see god when you look at a tree. For the pantheist, all things compose god. If you are a materialist, like many Americans today, you will see unguided, random chance resulting from seemingly countless years of accidents and modifications. If you are a theist, particularly a Christian theist, you will see the handiwork of God. The tree will not be god. Nor will it be simply a material happenstance. The tree will be a demonstration of God’s goodness and his glory.

So, what do see when you look at a tree? If you see the awesome handiwork of God, you can say with the Psalmist, “…let all the trees of the forest sing for joy (Ps 96:12).”

Throughout questioning life, we are going to asking some of the great questions of life and exploring Christianity’s answers. Join me next month when we look at “Who is humankind?” For now, I invite you to pray with me: “Gracious Redeemer and Creator, thank for your glory proclaimed by your creation. Help us with the trees sing for your joy. In Christ’s name. Amen.