Behold a Tree: A Lenten Reflection

The season of Lent is a special time to pause, breathe, and see God with fresh eyes. Last year I wrote a book titled, Behold a Tree. It's a collection of reflections on how God speaks through the quiet, steady presence of trees. Trees are everywhere—so familiar that we often walk right past them without noticing. But Scripture invites us to behold them, to pay attention, to learn from them. And Lent, in its own way, invites us to do the same: to slow down, to look again, to notice what we’ve been missing.

In this post, I want to weave together these two themes—trees and Lent—and explore what they might teach us about God, about ourselves, and about the journey to the cross.

1. Trees Teach Us About Roots

When you look at a tree, the first thing you see is the trunk, the branches, the leaves. But the most important part is hidden beneath the surface. The roots are what anchor the tree. They’re what nourish it. They’re what keep it standing when storms come.

Lent is a season of returning to our roots—our spiritual roots. It’s a time to ask:

• What am I anchored to

• What is nourishing me

• What is shaping my decisions, my reactions, my desires

  
  

In Behold a Tree, I write about how roots grow in the dark, in the unseen places. And isn’t that true of our faith as well? The deepest work God does in us often happens quietly, beneath the surface, where no one else sees.

Lent invites us into that hidden place. Not to perform. Not to impress. But to be honest before God.

Jesus Himself modeled this. Before His public ministry, He spent forty days in the wilderness—hidden, quiet, rooted in prayer. Lent mirrors that journey. It calls us back to the practices that anchor us: Scripture, prayer, repentance, stillness. A tree cannot survive without its roots. Neither can we.

2. Trees Teach Us About Seasons

One of the most beautiful things about trees is that they embrace every season without resistance. They don’t cling to summer when winter comes. They don’t fight the shedding of leaves. They simply live the season they’re in.

Lent is a season of letting go.

It’s a season of release—of laying down what no longer brings life. Just as trees shed their leaves, Lent invites us to shed:

• old habits

• old attitudes

• old sins

• old ways of thinking

Sometimes we hold on to things long after they’ve stopped giving us life. But God, in His mercy, invites us to release them so He can make room for something new.

In Behold a Tree, I talk about how a tree looks barren in winter, but it’s not dead. It’s preparing. Resting. Conserving. Strengthening. Lent is our spiritual winter—a time when God does quiet work beneath the surface so that resurrection can come.

We cannot experience Easter joy without Lenten surrender.

3. Trees Teach Us About Growth That Takes Time

We live in a world that loves instant results. But trees grow slowly. Patiently. Faithfully. A tree doesn’t rush. It doesn’t compare itself to the tree next to it. It simply grows at the pace God designed.

Lent slows us down. It reminds us that spiritual growth is not a sprint. It’s a lifelong journey. Some years we grow quickly. Some years we grow quietly. Some years we feel like we’re barely growing at all.

But God is faithful in every season.

In the book, I share the image of tree rings—the hidden record of a tree’s life. Each ring tells a story: years of drought, years of abundance, years of storms, years of calm. Our souls have rings too. Lent gives us space to reflect on them—to notice where God has been faithful, where He has carried us, where He has shaped us. Growth takes time. And God is patient with us.

4. Trees Point Us to the Cross

There is a moment in Scripture when the symbolism of trees reaches its peak: the cross of Christ. A tree once living, once rooted in the earth—became the instrument of our salvation. The cross is the ultimate reminder that God brings life out of death, hope out of suffering, redemption out of brokenness.

When we behold a tree, we are invited to remember:

• the tree in Eden, where sin began

• the tree in Revelation, where healing is promised

• and the tree on Calvary, where salvation was accomplished

Lent leads us to that tree. It leads us to the foot of the cross, where we remember the depth of God’s love—a love so great that Christ stretched out His arms on a wooden beam and said, “This is how much I love you.” Every tree we pass is a quiet echo of that truth.

5. Trees Teach Us About Resurrection

Even after the harshest winter, trees bud again. Even after storms break their branches, new growth appears. Even after seasons of drought, roots reach deeper for water. Lent prepares us for resurrection.

It reminds us that God is always doing something new—even when we cannot see it. It reminds us that death never has the final word. It reminds us that the story of our lives is held in the hands of a God who brings beauty from ashes.

In Behold a Tree, I write about the hope found in new leaves—the promise that life returns. That’s the promise of Easter. But Lent helps us appreciate it. Lent helps us hunger for it. Lent helps us recognize our need for it.

Beholding God in This Season

As we enter this sacred season, I invite you to behold a tree. Let it remind you to stay rooted. Let it teach you to embrace the season you’re in. Let it encourage you to grow patiently. Let it point you to the cross. Let it whisper resurrection hope. Lent is not about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about paying attention. It’s about returning to the God who loves us with a love deeper than roots, stronger than storms, and more faithful than the changing seasons.

May this Lent be a time of renewal for you. May you find rest in God’s presence. May you grow in grace. And may you behold the beauty of the One who hung on a tree so that we might live.

To order the book: Behold a Tree Or contact me for a special price.

**I prepared this talk for a Lent breakfast where I spoke.