Two verses became my guide for this past year as I tried to dig deeper into His word and listen for His voice:
"I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through His spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down in to God's love and keep you strong." Ephesians 3:17
"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7
When He laid those on my heart, it became very clear that Christ's love, strength, and thankfulness were the product of growing deep roots. But what did that really mean?
As the year went on, I saw more and more "sacred echoes," as Margaret Feinberg calls them, about roots. The Lord would lead me to different books, songs, and scripture that continued to keep me on the path of growing deeper with the Lord.
One of those scripture passages was Jeremiah 17:5-8:
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land.
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
I certainly don't want to be a stunted shrub, but to be a tree with deep roots, my trust and hope and confidence must be in the Lord...not men. And that can be a serious challenge.
What I have found through this past year is that when I was able to take the "heat" and "drought" and bear fruit continually, I was closer to the Lord. And when it was the opposite, I was putting my hope in myself or depending on others I love to fulfill me. That's not a new lesson, but one I seem to have over and over again. And as I prayed this past week over what the Lord would have me focus on in 2019, I continue to hear him say "grow your roots."
So, I decided to dig a little deeper into what trees planted by a riverbank look like. It turns out that they can be all shapes and sizes but must have strong root systems to withstand flooding, erosion, and chemicals/bad things in the water that come their way, which falls in line with the scripture. But the coolest thing I found was that these trees must have strong root systems because most of them serve as a place for shelter and safety for other wildlife in the area.
When I am digging in to the word, talking with the Lord, and spending time in prayer, my roots are getting deeper and stronger in Him. And if I do this, I am better equipped to serve as a place of safety and shelter from the world for my husband, children, and others I love. I am able to share peace and hope and joy and faith and encourage them to grow deeper in the One who will be their sustainer as well.
I hope these scriptures will be an encouragement to you in this coming year, and that we will all look to grow deeper roots, but then be attentive to the Lord's direction as He grows our branches. Keep your eyes open for those who may need you and your strength in the Lord to help hold them up when the tough storms come. And then be ready to tell them who He is and who they can know Him too. Happy 2019 y'all.
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