How Are Your Roots?

Since the severe storms that passed through our area Sunday night, I have seen a lot of huge trees completely uprooted and thrown to the ground. One, not far from our home, must have been 70 feet tall or more and so huge it would have taken three or more adults to wrap their arms around it. No telling how old it was nor how many hundreds of storms it had weathered. It stood near historical Civil War sites and if it only could have talked, what history it might have told: but, Sunday night it fell.

What I have noticed about these trees is, though they are green and huge above the ground, it appears there were problems with them below the ground. Obviously, their roots are no longer strong and deep enough to anchor them tightly in their place. Perhaps in times past the roots were healthier and went deeper or maybe the trees literally outgrew their roots--I don't know; I am not a botanist. Something, however, went seriously wrong, long before Sunday night, that allowed these trees to fall under the stress and pressure of the fierce wind.

Often, when we look around at others, we are shocked to see those whom we deem "pillars in the church" to fall under pressure. Many times they sin in such ways we can hardly comprehend it or they just fall away from following God. Perhaps they become guilty of the very things they have taught and warned others about. How does this happen--they have weathered so many storms before? I propose to you that their roots have failed them.

They have allowed their anchor system to become weak in some way or another. Maybe they have become lax in prayer or study of God's word; perhaps they have stopped gathering with other Christians to worship God as regularly as before; or maybe they have allowed worldly friends to begin to influence them. Whatever the cause, something was going seriously wrong long before they fell.

We need to diligently watch our lives; we need to probe our foundations and constantly be on guard for disease that could affect our roots that hold us firm in our faith. We must look for weakness and treat the problem long before it has a chance to destroy that which anchors us to God. There are fierce storms in life that can try our root system and if it is strong in the Lord, then we shall stand planted. How are your roots?

Dana Burk