LICHEN AND FAITH
I like to write Bible studies that relate things that we see in nature to Biblical truths. In the last few years I have been fascinated by the many forms and colors of lichen that appear on rocks and trees, but unlike trees, flowers, rocks and mountains, there is no Biblical reference to lichen. Scientists are discovering more and more about this mysterious form of life that is often mistaken for moss, but is neither plant nor animal. What Biblical truth can be applied to lichen? Is there a Biblical truth that is also referred to as mysterious?
I’d like to share some facts about lichen that I have learned. It is a combination of a fungus and an alga, with bacteria. The fungus provides the structure, and the alga produces food through photosynthesis. There is often a third ingredient, a cyanobacteria which produces a wide range of colors.
Lichen exists in a variety of habitats, including deserts, forests, and tundra, and there are several different shapes, such as crusty, leafy, flat, and thread-like. It can endure through periods of drought and will revive when it receives moisture. Lichen provides food for certain animals, such as reindeer. In industry, it is used in some dyes, toothpaste, deodorants, salve, perfume and antibiotics.
The inter-relatedness of the fungus and alga/bacteria combination reminds us of the inter-relation that the Christian has with Christ. Just as in the lichen the alga/bacteria provide the life-giving properties and the fungus provides the outward structure, so Christ provides spiritual life to our physical bodies.
In Col. 1:26-27 Paul tells us that a mystery that was once hidden is now revealed: that “Christ in you is the hope of glory.” Many other Bible references refer to the indwelling Christ. In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. Ephesians 3:17 talks about Christ dwelling in us by faith.
Knowing that Christ not only has saved me from the penalty of my sin and that He will take me to heaven, but that he takes residence in me and gives me the desire and the power to act according to His will (Phil.2:13) is, for me, life changing. At one time in the past I used to focus on the fact that “all my righteousness is as filthy rags.” I confessed every Sunday morning that “I am a slave of sin.” I was so centered on “grace not works” that I used to think Christians could not even do good works. But now I realize that after Ephesians 2:9 says “by grace we are saved, not by works,” the next verse announces that “we have been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand for us to do.” These good works are possible because of the indwelling Christ.
In the same way that lichen is a unique life form, with an outer structure nourished and sustained by the algae/bacteria within it, so the Christian is unique, our physical bodies nourished and vitalized by Christ Himself to show His glory.
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