Uprooted

I know - 2 days in a row, what has gotten in to me? I just saw something this morning that begged a post. 


I live in Texas. And in texas we have big storms. Many a Bradford Pear in my neighbor hood have split or had severe damage due to the high winds, usually resulting in a tree company (or an ambitious owner) clearing them out. Always a sad day to me when I tree has to die.


This morning however I saw something very interesting. We have a had a bit of rain this week and lots of wind, but not in the last couple days. So, imagine my surprise when I was driving down the street today (well my son was driving, I was riding) and had to swerve around a large tree that had fallen over into the road. What puzzled me ever more is that this tree had come up from the roots. Stump and all. It had not been broken by the wind, like so many others I see, but had just toppled with roots sticking up out of the ground.


This picture brought to mind all the passages in the Bible that talk about the correlation between strong roots and healthy growth. I have listed a few below...

Jeremiah 17:8 NET

They will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit.

Psalm 1:3 NET

He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.

Job 18:16 NET

Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above.

Ezekiel 31:7 NET

It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters.

Romans 11:18 NET

do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Yesterday this tall beautiful gave shade and looked to the observers eye like it was strong and healthy. Today it lies fallen, waiting for the city workers to come and chop it up and take it away to be burned or mulched (or what ever they do with trees that do this.) I am not a tree expert, but my guess is that this trees root system just never fully formed deep down in the soil where it coule thrive and grow. They all probably stayed very close to the surface. 

So it goes with our faith. We can look on the outside to the observer as if we are strong and full of life, but if we are not growing deep in our faith by reading the Word and cultivating our relationship with God - we to, like the tree, will easily topple at the first sign of wind or rain in our lives. And then what will become of you? 

So today ask your self this, how deep do my roots go? Are the roots of my faith in Christ strong enough to help me withstand the storms of life and the barrage of things Satan will throw at me? My prayer for you is that you can easily answer "yes". But if you can't, it's not to late. Begin today. God loves you and is just waiting like a patient gardner to help you grow roots deep into Him.