Gospel & Trees, Week 3: Daisugi
Scripture: Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Devotion
In the Japanese art of daisugi, foresters prune cedar trees so that new, straight shoots grow upward from the living trunk. It’s an act of discipline that ensures beauty and sustainability for generations. Psalm 98 invites all creation to sing for joy before the Lord. The rivers, the mountains, the seas, and the trees are all invited. Like daisugi, divine pruning is a creative act. God shapes our lives not to stifle us, but to help us grow in harmony with His joy. When we yield to God’s hand, our lives become instruments in the great song of creation.
Questions
What in your life might God be pruning so that you can grow straighter and stronger?
How does divine discipline differ from human control?
What would it mean for your daily life to “sing for joy” alongside creation?
John Wesley
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can…”
This quote is often attributed to Wesley, though he likely never said it. Even so, a well-pruned life doesn’t produce less; it makes room for more goodness to grow.
Prayer
Loving Gardener, tend us with care. When your pruning feels sharp, remind us that it is the touch of one who loves us. Shape our lives into instruments of joy, and let our praise join the chorus of creation. Amen.