In our short Minnesota summers, leaves arrive in spring and drop dead a few months later. Our leaves turn glorious colors in fall, but lately I’m focused on the green ones. Consider that trees, depending on their size, have hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of green leaves. So many species of trees exist, and God created their types of leaves in intricate detail. He could have created one type of tree with one type of leaf. He could have decided on one shade of green for all trees. Our Creator’s artistry across the range of a single color amazes me. Why would God create so much variety in something as seasonally transient as green tree leaves?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 NIV
God created the earth, starting with a formless, empty darkness. By His Word, life and growth came to the dark void. Difficult to conceptualize with our puny human understanding, God’s miracles at creation established the foundation of our world. From nothing came our Creator’s display of His power, artistry, and provision.
More than one aspect of creation can be found in green leaves. Not only did God create beautiful colors for leaves, but He instilled them with essential functions. Plants and leaves have a green pigment called cholorophyll which absorbs the sunlight. That light energy fuels photosynthesis, or the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose. God could have made one shade of chlorophyll green for photosynthesis. Instead, He provided a range of greens that are not only functional and efficient, but also beautiful. During photosynthesis, trees make glucose (i.e. sugars as their food) and give off oxygen as a byproduct. Our Creator designed the process to be interdependent. Tree leaves and plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, while humans do the opposite.
Besides oxygenation, those green tree leaves provide shade and shelter for humans and animals. But couldn’t they all be the same style and color? That still would have brought beauty to the world. But God created many variations of leaves, and different leaf styles between species. For example, evergreens have modified green leaves called needles that photosynthesize year-round. And the needles vary significantly in color and style between types of evergreens.
What if we look at green leaves as a display designed to reflect God’s glory and power? God’s artistry in green leaves reveals color variations according to light, sun position, water droplets, and temperature. What does that tell me about God? Not only the aesthetics of the leaves, but their shapes, purposes, and functions reveal God’s character. God protects and provides for animals with tree foliage. Our Creator’s purpose in photosynthesis gives humans oxygen from leaves. The complexity in His design of a short-lived leaf reinforces that God has purposes for all of His creation.
If God has detailed purposes for green leaves, how can I not trust His work in my life?! His coordinated design has purpose, even for the smallest—to my mind insignificant—details on this earth. Like the green leaves that cover His creation, in all their multiple variations of green.
No, green is not my favorite color. I most often overlook the color green in its summer abundance in our area. As I drive along tree-lined roads, tall trees stand sentry in all their green splendor.
Shimmering green leaves in the sunlight reflect the glory of God. God’s sovereign design in creation is on display. Green leaves remind me of my sovereign God and encourage me to praise Him for the gift of green leaves.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Psalm 96:12
Dear Lord, thank you for creating the many colors of green and displaying them throughout our world. Help me to recognize how creation reflects your artistic and purposeful workmanship. Remind me to praise you for what to me seems simple—like green leaves. Teach me to to honor and worship you for your majesty, provision, and blessing as revealed in your creation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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