Marcescence

MARCESCENCE... pronounced mar-sess-ens

This week as I was studying thru the Hebrew month of Shevat (it started this week), I was listening to a friend talk about pruning trees and such... In that moment Holy Spirit whispered in my thoughts, "there are some trees that don't always lose all their leaves, but then they become trees that do"

I was perplexed at this- it made no sense and then I thought, well I'll just google it and see if I find anything... turns out it's a phenomenon called marcescene... and it's when either young trees or newer branches on an older tree do not let go of all their leaves. As the tree or the young branches mature they lose this trait. Why do they hold on to some of their leaves thru winter? It's thought to be a type of defense mechanism- defense against temperature stress and defense against animals like deer from eating new buds that are on the tree.

When spring comes, the tree cuts lose those already dead leaves to make way for new ones and more growth. I wonder how many of us in this new season, this new year are allowing dead leaves- dead things from the last season to remain on us? Maybe we are immature in some area, maybe it makes us feel vulnerable..maybe is provides security...possibly holding on to what feels comfortable.....but hopefully, like these trees and branches, we too will mature and grow out of this trait, recognizing that we no longer need to hold onto dead things...but instead, let the wind blow away the old and make way for the new....