Tea Tree (Melaleuca) Plant Reflection | Isaiah 46:3–4 | God is Faithful Through the Seasons

August is a deeply personal month for me, especially this year.

I turn 40.

There is something about reaching this age that makes me pause and reflect. I don’t feel particularly young, yet I also don’t think of myself as old. It feels like I am standing somewhere in between, holding both gratitude for the years that have passed and awareness of the years ahead.

The theme for this artwork is God is faithful through the seasons.

The verse I chose is from Isaiah 46:3–4:

“You whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried you since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he. I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

As I reflect on the past 40 years of my life, I see God’s faithfulness woven through every season. The joys, the struggles, the quiet moments, and the stretching seasons. All of it has shaped me into who I am today.

We live in a world that resists ageing. There is so much emphasis on looking young, staying young, and holding on to a version of ourselves that feels more desirable. And while I’m thankful for good genes that may make me look younger than I am, I’m learning that there is something deeper and more freeing in embracing each season as it comes.

I'm learning to embrace each stage of life with gratitude, and see even the struggles as part of how God is shaping us.

For this artwork, I chose the Melaleuca plant, also known as the tea tree.

I was drawn to it for several reasons. Tea tree is known for its healing properties, and even the leaves carry a distinctive scent when crushed. It reminded me that through every season, there is a need for healing. Not just physically, but in our hearts and souls as well.

The flowers are soft and delicate, looking like bottle brushes. They reminded me of something tender and new, even of infancy. At the same time, the branches and leaves have a drooping, cascading form. And the pale, almost white blooms made me think of gray hairs.

There was something about this plant that held both ends of life together.

From birth to old age.
From strength to frailty.

When I painted this piece, I was drawn to these contrasts. The softness and the ageing. The healing and the carrying.

In the same way, God’s faithfulness is not limited to one season of our lives. He is the same God who carries us from the very beginning, and the same God who sustains us all the way through.

There are many seasons in life where we may feel strong, and others where we feel like we are fading, tired, or worn. Yet God’s promise remains unchanged. He is the one who made us, who carries us, who sustains us, and who rescues us.

The next time you see a tea tree, may it remind you that your life is held fully by God. Every season matters. Every year carries meaning, and none of it is outside of His care.

How has God shown His faithfulness to you through the years?