Ents and Avalanches

I woke up this morning thinking about Ents and avalanches.
I think trees represent something profoundly comforting, and also something wildly exciting. They were always my hiding place and ‘den‘ as a child. Whenever we went away on a holiday I would often be looking for a potential place of vertical refuge. We had a large weeping willow in our garden, and whenever life troubled me, I would lodge myself in its branches to retreat and think, drawing unconscious comfort from the beauty of nature and the solidness of the tree itself.
But trees were more than a comfort, they were an adventure, a place of imagining wild stories and other possibilities. Trees had an element of danger (especially if they were very high and hard to climb) and their wildness stimulated my imagination. Even before I read Lord of The Rings, they were sleeping giants who, if roused, could wreak mighty acts of vengeance upon any presumptuous enemies who trespassed their holy forests...
These two dimensions of safety and adventure are captured so wonderfully in the Lord of The Rings, where the two little Hobbits stumble upon Treebeard, the tree-man shepherd of the forest. They convince him that they are neither Orcs nor Dwarves (with axes), and make friends with this long winded wood giant. Elsewhere in the story the wizard Gandalf, concerned for their safety, declares that if the hobbits have met Treebeard then they will be safe. They have befriended a mighty one who will protect them and keep them from harm.
Tolkien profoundly understood the nature of life and the battles we face. He especially knew that there are many ways to win a war. In other parts of the story mighty warriors and kings lead noble peoples in desperate defense of their lives. Many of them are hard pressed, holding fortresses against overwhelming odds and awful enemies. Their skills, experience and courage are their great strength, but even with their skills they ultimately need help from outside to win the day. The story of Merry, Pippin and Treebeard is another sort of courage and a different kind of victory. The two hobbits are agents of change way beyond their own strength, skill or experience. They are two pebbles that start an avalanche. They set in motion forces of incredible consequence and ride to war from the (relative) safety of a treetop! With a simple act of subversion they awaken the giant Ents to the dangers they face and stir their ‘slow to anger’ vengeance an the enemy who has destroyed their forest and their friends.
My mornings imagining was about both safety and adventure. I want to sit on the safe haven of Treebeards shoulders while he leads the roused Ents to battle! Like a humble hobbit, I want to be the pebble that generates an avalanche. I believe that is our calling as Gods children. We have a safe haven in which to hide - It is on the shoulders of an almighty heavenly Father. He is our ‘strong tower’ from whose vantage point we can see the battle below and not be afraid. He is our fortress and our refuge, and like Treebeard he is a moving fortress! When we befriend the living God we become partners in the battle to overcome long held strongholds of bitterness and blight and bring about a transformation. After a period of intercession; making our simple plea for action on the part of the oppressed and forgotten, He will at times sit us on his shoulders while he goes to war to restore what is good and make clean that which was polluted. This is what Tolkien speaks of. This is what scripture promises. This is an adventure in which we are catalysts and co-workers. You can engage in Godly battles from the safety of his shoulders, but I promise you its quite a ride!!