Strength

Mary’s Monday Musing to Quilt Encouragement

Strength

 

The tree made me stop on my walk toward the garden at the plantation of Montpelier in Virginia. It’s impressive size and breadth drew me to read the sign under it. A Cedar of Lebanon given to James Madison by France and the Marquis De Lafayette. We read of Cedars of Lebanon in the Bible. They are spoken about as attractive, large, sturdy trees useful for buildings among other things. We think of them as symbols of strength and endurance. I’d never seen one before, and it didn’t look like what I thought it would. The large branches spread in a wide circle and the trunk reached high into the sky, nothing like the tall narrow pine tree I had imagined.

 

I wonder why France wanted to give this particular tree to the author of our constitution. Maybe they saw the tree as symbolizing the United States, standing broad, tall, strong and sturdy as a Cedar. As citizens, we pray that our country continues to stand tall in the world and remain strong in defense of freedom. As individuals, we rejoice that the same God who created the massive Cedar of Lebanon and had a hand in the foundation of our country, is powerful enough to not only keep watch over our country and answer our prayers for our country, but also to make each of us strong and sturdy for the life we lead.