Well Rooted
Their
heads are buzzed flat on top, and all are shaped sharply to lean in one
direction. They wear tough looking exteriors and are much thicker on one side
than the other. What a picture of endurance and strength and survival they
exude. What a display of great character and beauty is revealed. These are the
trees that have survived hurricane strength winds and cling to rocks and banks along
the Pacific Coast of Washington and Oregon.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles
come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For
you know that when your faith is tested,
your
endurance has a chance to grow.” James 1:2-3 NLT
On
close examination one discovers the gnarled and weathered trees are more strongly
muscled with big bulging roots on the side that faces the storms. The tree’s
roots are wrapped tightly around boulders and are steeped deeply into the
hillsides. Like those well rooted trees,
our survival too is dependent on where (and in Who) we choose to wrap our roots.
In
times when we might think “we have it made,” so to speak, is actually the time
when we are in great danger of letting loose and growing weaker. When
self-reliance and self-indulgence take over we will eventually let loose of the
very Rock— Jesus, that we need to survive and live through our next prevailing
storm.
The
point is to have a positive outlook when troubles brew. Tough times can teach
us perseverance, and build up our spiritual muscles with patience and steadfastness.
Hurricane circumstances might appear to make us about to topple, but when we
wrap our faith around God, when we send our roots deep into His Word we can rely
on Him for strength to endurance.
“We
may rest assured that He will never expect us or ask us to face more than we
can stand (1 Corintians10:13). But what He does expose us to will strengthen
and fortify our faith and confidence in His control.” —W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
“Well
Rooted” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 3, 2013
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