This morning as I was driving Sydney to school, a huge gust of wind came rushing through; blowing leaves and dirt and bending tender tree branches low to the ground. Sydney was impressed. Even the large and sinewy evergreens waved to us as we listened to the rustle and howl. Finally, once the flurry subsided, Sydney asked me, “Mom, will the wind knock those trees over? Will they start flying at our car?” “No,” was my reply. I went on to explain that those trees have deep roots that cling to the earth below. When the wind blows, the roots hang on tight to the soil so that the trees will not fall over.
Of course, this thought continued to ruminate in my mind long after I had dropped Sydney off at school.
There are some pretty strong and mighty storms that are blowing through life these days. Without deep roots and fertile soil to cling to I fear I could be swept away like chaff in the wind. Sydney’s simple question drew me to a scripture that I memorized years ago – Jeremiah 17:7-8:
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (NIV)
No fear. No worries. Roots planted deep, clinging to the rich soil of God’s faithfulness. I pray to be one who trusts in the midst of the heat and through the course of the drought. Whether life comes at me as a gentle breeze or a gale force wind, may my confidence be rooted in the One who holds me tightly in His grasp and steady through the storm.
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Isn’t it so important to have those roots grow in times of plenty… so that when the storm comes… we’ve nothing to fear!