Abraham and Planting Trees

I was reading in Genesis the other day and came across this verse about Abraham planting a grove of trees in Beer-sheba:

And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days. (Genesis21:33-34)

Looking at other versions other than the King James’ Version and looking at the foot note for grove it looks like a better translation would be: tamarisk trees.

Now I never have heard of tamarisk trees, so looked up Wikipedia’s description:

tamarisk tree

They are evergreen or deciduous shrubs or trees growing to 1–18 m in height and forming dense thickets. The largest, Tamarix aphylla, is an evergreen tree that can grow to 18 m tall. They usually grow on saline soils, tolerating up to 15,000 ppm soluble salt and can also tolerate alkali conditions.
 The tamarisk is used as an ornamental shrub, a windbreak, and a shade tree. The wood may be used for carpentry or firewood. It is a possible agroforestry species.

So why did Abraham plant tamarisk trees, and why is this significant enough to write about it in the Bible?

Reading in the ENSIGN, the First Presidency Message entitled The Best Time to Plant a Tree, has part of the answer (for me at least):

An old proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”
 There is something wonderful and hopeful about the word now. There is something empowering about the fact that if we choose to decide now, we can move forward at this very moment.
 Now is the best time to start becoming the person we eventually want to be—not only 20 years from now but also for all eternity.

Abraham was very, very old at this time.  He probably knew that he would not stay there in Beer-sheba for 20 years or however long it took for the trees to get big.  So why did he plant them?  I think for two reasons:

First, He planted the trees for his children.  He might not see the trees be full grown and beneficial but his children and grandchildren will.  God had promised this land for his inheritance and even if he would not permanently inhabit the land his children would.  Now was the time to start working on his children’s inheritance.

Now is the time to do all I can to help my kids.  I want my kids to become good, happy and God-fearing Adults.  And just like a tree, now is the time to make it happen.  I need to teach them and nurture them now at the age of 6 and 3.  So when they are 26 and 23 they will be good, happy and God-fearing adults.

Second reason,  I think can be found in last part of the verse. It says that he “called on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God” there.  Obviously there was no temple there.  But just like our leaders to day tell us, Abraham made his home a heaven.  We are repeatedly told to make our homes like a temple.  Because home is where we want to invite the Lord to be.  Abraham did this by planting trees.  He wanted to invite the Savior to be there and knew that the Spirit will abide in clean and wholesome places.  So he made is home that way.

In my own life, my father has always loved trees.  (I guess that is what happens when your major in college is botany.)  Everywhere we have lived he has had us kids planning and watering trees—hundreds of them!  But we always seemed to move long before the trees got big.  I realize know how much like Abraham my dad always was.  I know my dad loves the Lord.  I know he will do whatever God tells him to do.  And just like Abraham, he was planting—and having his kids plant—trees to teach his children to be better people.  And to make his home a better place so the God’s Spirit would want to be there.