Life That Never Fades

The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary.

Isaiah 60:13

If you selected a Christmas tree blindfolded, your chances of choosing the right kind are good. There are only two kinds of trees in the world: deciduous (those whose leaves die annually) and evergreens (those whose leaves stay green). Still, you’re better off peeking when you choose. Bringing home a six-foot oak with bare limbs might get you lumps of coal in your stocking.

Evergreen. The word itself brings up images of Christmas trees in December—cedars, spruces, and firs. And the scents! Evergreen garlands cascading down banisters and flowing over mantels fill the house with an aroma we wish would last forever. The evergreen tree is certainly the most traditional of Christmas decorations—though electric lights weren’t used on them until 1882. But for centuries, evergreens have represented the most everlasting aspect of the first Christmas in Bethlehem—our eternal life with Jesus Christ. Our Christmas trees, once cut, won’t last forever. But what they picture will: life in heaven forever.

When you put up your Christmas tree this year, remind family and friends that, though the green of the tree will ultimately fade, the greatness of our eternal life in Christ will not.