I love lessons from nature, taught without words, yet so relatable and powerful. When I come across a windswept tree that is standing firm against the onslaught, I want to cheer it on: “Hang in there, tree friend! You’ve got this!” A tree can withstand enormous forces pressing against it largely because of what is happening under the ground. Roots sent deep and wide anchor it to the earth where it stands, grounding it against the winds that come.
We live in a day of fierce cultural winds-accessible, constant and loud. If we are not deeply rooted, we will be ‘tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness…’ (Ephesians 4:14)
As foretold, we are surrounded by ‘lovers of their own selves,’ ‘despisers of those that are good’, ‘lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,’ and those that are ‘ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (see 2 Timothy 3:2-7); ‘scoffers’ and ‘mockers’ ‘walking after their own lusts’.(see 2 Peter 3:3, Jude 1:18) We see daily those ‘that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth…’ (Isaiah 29:21) and those that ‘depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits…’ (1 Timothy 4:1)
Under the incessant pressure, it is easy to bow to the demands of popular opinion and philosophy, to lose our sense of surety and peace, unless we are ‘rooted and grounded’ like the trees that withstand the winds, on that which is deep and wide, that which anchors us to unchanging truth and strengthens us to stand firm and not be deceived:
Jesus Christ.
Sure and steadfast, unfailing, strong enough to withstand any storm.
Continually and intentionally holding fast to those things He has gifted us to keep us grounded in Him, we reach ever upward, trusting in His power to keep us fixed on eternity.
Faith and repentance. Covenant and commandments. Prayer and prophets. Hope and love.
‘…continu[ing] in the faith grounded and settled, and be[ing] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which [we] have heard…’ (Colossians 1:23)
Rooted and grounded with Him, so the winds have no power to defeat our growth and progress. ‘Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as [we] have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.’ (Colossians 2:7)
Like all winds, the ones blowing today will not last forever. And new ones will arise. With our roots secured in Him, we will stand, whatever the storm.
