I have always liked trees. I have read numerous books and said countless prayers under the shadows provided by their leafy branches.
One Sabbath I decided to spend the afternoon in a field behind my church. It was a beautiful and quiet spot where I always found comfort and peace, even in the most difficult times. I took my Bible, a few books, a pile of Adventist World magazines, and sat under a eucalyptus tree.
I had a notebook with a list of prayer requests from people from all over the world, and I remember thinking: Thank You, God, for allowing me to read so many books and magazines that have been published to enrich my personal experience with You and those around me. I am looking forward to meeting these people in heaven and telling them that I prayed for them, that these publications have made me feel closer to them and to You as part of a big family. Please help me to always take Your Word wherever I go, and to never forget the importance of sharing the Written Word with others. Help me do more.
Little did I know that a few years later He would give me the chance to be part of this ministry, both through canvassing and eventually as an intern in the proofreading and editing department of a large Adventist publishing house in South America. Many of the books that have blessed my life have come from that publishing house.
I spent this past summer in a quiet office, reading material produced by people who have committed their lives to God. I had the privilege of belonging to the team of translators that translated the Ellen G. White Encyclopedia into Spanish. I was fascinated by the stories of literary assistants and staff members who went unnoticed but who made possible the publication of the books that transformed the lives of thousands of people.
I also had the chance to meet some of the people whose names I had read many times on the copyright pages: men and women who consecrate themselves every morning before starting work, who worship God early in the morning and ask for His help in every step of making these important materials, from the editorial tasks to the actual printing on web presses and other heavy machinery. Every task plays an important role and is needed to finally hold a completed product in one’s hands. This helped me better understand the importance of working as part of the body of Christ.
One afternoon I was glancing through the window in my office, looking at a leafy tree next to it. I suddenly remembered my prayer of many years ago, and thanked God for answering it in such an unexpected way. In my mind I could see the familiar shape of the trees in the field behind my church, and I was reminded of God’s presence in my life, His constant mercy, and the hope of everlasting life we have as His children.
God still answers our prayers. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps. 91:1, NIV). Find a place to meet with Him personally. Rejoice in resting in His shadow. Open your heart and tell Him your innermost desires, and enjoy His answers and blessings. Worship Him even while enduring trials. Pray for your larger family in Christ. Continue reading and sharing inspirational thoughts. Fill your mind with the gospel, with the good news we are to share with the world around us. We all play an important role in this mission God has entrusted to us—even if we think of our role as insignificant.
Sometimes it may take a tree to teach us that, as it happened to me, but it will always take living “in the shadow of the Almighty” to accomplish what we are called to do. May He always find us in His shelter, in His shadow.
