“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 (KJV)
I’m learning about seasons in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Summer was hot and dry. Grass turned yellow and fire warnings were in effect. A big difference from the nearly constant humidity I knew growing up in New Orleans.
Then we received the blessing of rain showers in October. Only a few days of gentle downfall, but oh, the change that it made! Pastures that had been dry and brown began to show hints of green until now they are bright with new growth, even though temperatures have been running in the 50s and 60s. The hillsides are strewn with emerald growth and it’s hard to believe this is November rather than April.
Yet the trees seem to be unaffected by the showers. The deciduous trees are going through their seasonal color show; the evergreens are green just as they have been all summer long. What is it that makes the difference? Why do the trees stay green, even in the heat that sears the grass to withered wicker?
If I remember my high school biology correctly, the answer lies in the root system. The roots of the trees go deeper into the ground and can access more groundwater than the shallow rooted grasses. The trees stand a better chance in a drought.
When I think about roots, I have to think about my own spiritual roots. Are they deep enough to withstand a drought? Will my trust stay green even when the world around me is parched and brown? Have I spread my roots in the faith so that I can draw on unseen reservoirs in time of need?
That reservoir gets filled from many places: Bible study, prayer time, spending time in worship with others, listening to inspirational music, and reading inspirational books, for example. Can I get along without some of them? For a time, perhaps. But my heart always hungers to return to the resources that fill me.
Where do you go to fill your reservoir? How do you recharge your spiritual batteries so you can keep going when the conditions get rough? Don’t let other things come between you and your Source.
Father, we thank You for Your never-ending fountain of love for us. We praise You for the evergreen trust we can place in You, knowing by Your promise that we place it wisely. Keep our souls watered and our hearts reaching for You.
© Mary Beth Magee 2009
