There has been a shift from last year’s Oregon weather this spring. Last year, we had what I believe were a record-breaking number of days of heat. The heat was mixed with a much lower level of rain and snow. This spring, however, we look much more like the “Oregon springs” I remember. It’s cold. It’s rainy. It’s unpredictable. It’s a good idea to dress in layers and it’s a good idea to carry a raincoat or umbrella.
This spring hasn’t just been wet and cold – it’s been stormy. There have been multiple times over the past few months when the wind would blow with such force that my patio chairs would be blown around in the yard – toppled over – and on one occasion the storm’s violence even broke one. Clearly, I wasn’t prepared for that storm… nor were my chairs!
How do you feel about storms? Do you enjoy them? Do you fear them?
I had an interesting revelation about storms this spring. It was sort of an object lesson that I credit to my Heavenly Father. In one of our storms (perhaps the one that I lost my chair in), our neighbor lady lost a tree. I guess she didn’t really lose it… but her tree fell completely over and was laying on its side in the street.
Now the storm took down some big trees in our community. Some of the trees falling take out power or structures as they come crashing down. Often those trees are old and compromised in some way – whether the owner of the tree knew it or not.
My neighbor’s tree wasn’t a bit old tree. It was planted 5 years or so ago. But the tree looked healthy. I mean, it looked healthy until it was laying on its side in the street.
You should know that my neighbor lady is elderly and lives alone. There is no possible way that she would be able to do anything with her tree. Knowing this, other neighborhood men stepped in and attempted to fix this poor young tree. Stakes were driven into the ground around it. Cords were wrapped around its trunk in multiple locations to offer extra layers of security. That little tree was upright and while it looked a bit disheveled, it appeared to be normal.
Until the next storm.
As soon as the next storm came through our community, the same little tree was blown back over. The stakes and ties had not been enough to anchor it in place once the storm arrived. The tree was again toppled over.
Again, the neighborhood men stepped in to “fix” the tree. Again the tree stands. This time with leaves that indicate that the tree is no longer healthy or getting what it needs from the soil. They are turning brown. Dying.
And this, my friend, is when God opened my eyes again to the importance of roots. You see, had that little tree had strong and deep roots, it would not have fallen. The storms would still have arrived to push against it, but the roots would have held it firmly in place.
Roots matter. Foundations matter. This isn’t just true in nature, it’s true spiritually. What are you anchored to? How deep are your roots? How firm is your foundation? What are you building or planting your life and soul on? How are you watering it – feeding and fueling it?
You see, I think we can all agree that life is full of storms. We cannot always predict when these storms will come barrelling through our lives – I mean, we rarely see them coming! Yet they come. How do we weather the storm? Are we prepared for whatever comes? Will we still be standing once it passes with our roots still intact? How can we prepare ourselves in advance?
Jesus says: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
We are best equipped to withstand the storms of this life – even the big ones – when we are deeply rooted and connected to Jesus. He is the foundation of truth. He is our rock. Our fortress. He is our deliverer. Our Savior. Our hope.
Perhaps it’s time to check and strengthen our roots.
Blessings.