Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Roots

A new development is going in on our side of the mountain not far from where we live. We often pass it on our walks since it lies between trails and the two flights of stairs.. one 117 steps and one 101 steps.

I took this photo of a huge root ball that is lying beside the road waiting to be taken away for landfill or to be burned.

It is huge! and I wonder what the tree looked like and how many years it took the tree to grow that big and strong. Storms came and winds blew but this tree stood unmovable through them all because of its huge underground root system.

We, as believers, are seen and judged for what others can see -- the above-ground things....but no one but God can see the under-ground roots. How strong are they ? Strong enough to hold steady through the storms of life ?

There is a verse Col 2:6,7 that says "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

Our roots need to be in HIM .... not in anything else. A tree whose roots go down into shifting sand or unstable ground will not be able to grasp hold and grow for the years it takes to grow a strong root system.
And during its years of growing, a tree needs healthy nourishment uncontaminated by poisons and causes of root rot . Root rot is caused by fungi and thrives in poor soil conditions.
A tree is only as healthy as its roots.
Our scripture passage in Colossians goes on to warn in verse 8.... "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."

I am currently reading a book called "The Battle for Truth" written by David A. Noebel. It is talking about how we as Christians in the western world have compromised our faith by allowing world views to infilterate our Christian worldview and have therefore become ineffective and weak. It is decaying our roots .

(It is an excellent book and I will be talking more about it in future posts... but if you come across it I highly recommend it !)

We have been once again informed by 'science' that they have found an ancient form of 'human' that we have evolved from. She even has a name, Ida !

Our children are being taught that this is 'truth' proven by science but held up to God's truth the root of 'science so called' is revealed to be 'rotten'. Paul warned Timothy in 1Ti 6:20 , "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called"

There is only one truth, Jesus! (Eph 4:21. "..... the truth is in Jesus!!")

One truth to put our roots down into strong and deep! and if we do, we will ensure that we stand when everything else falls around us !!!

5 comments:

Betty said...

I pray that my roots are founded in Him and that I do not let myself become weak from "above-ground" things going on in the world. Something to strive after!

Elsie said...

This also reminds me of Psalm 1:1-3 and Jeremiah 17:7,8.....when we truly trust in the Lord, we will be solidly grounded no matter what "weather" comes along in our life.

Lovella ♥ said...

Thanks Julie . ..I know this truth . .but I'm never reminded too often.

Anneliese said...

This lesson in nature sure helps us understand the importance of making sure we are planted in the right conditions and letting our roots go deep so that when the winds come, we will stand.

Sara said...

Thanks for reminding us/me to do root care. That image of those massive roots on the side of the road certainly will stick in my mind.
Great post!