Deep Roots

I’ve always been amazed by trees with massive root systems, the depths they can grow, and sometimes the damage they can cause. I remember my maternal grandparents had two giant weeping willow trees in their front yard. I have vivid memories of playing under those canopies as a kid. The long arching branches hanging down with their shimmery, silvery, green leaves that would go to the ground, it often created my own little world for me to imagine under. As I got older I remember those massive beautiful trees had to be cut down because the roots were invading the well and the foundation causing a lot of damage. If you’re not familiar with willow trees they love to find water and their roots also tend to cause a lot of damage if not planted in proper locations. These root systems are known to be shallow and invasive.

This kind of invasiveness can happen in our own life too. Slowly as we grow we take in certain things, they usually start little, we go on thinking they will not be a big deal in our life. However, overtime we allow these sins to invade our lives. These sins become roots, we allow things like bitterness, anger, selfishness, addiction, pride to take hold of our lives. God warns us to be careful of these types of roots to take place in our life. In Hebrews 12:15 it tells us to “…watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” These sins cause damage, discontment and heartache if we keep feeding these roots.

But there’s God, he has a way to help us! Instead of having bad, shallow roots we are called to have deep roots in Christ’s love. I love Ephesians 3:17 with this in mind. Paul writes “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down in God’s love and keep you strong.” I don’t know about you but that’s the kind of root system I want in my life! A faith and love so deep that God has planted us firmly in his love creating a strong footing. With these deep roots we can trust that when storms come we won’t be uprooted.

Now, I don’t want to end there. As I was researching various root systems I came across a protected tree in South Africa. This tree has been known to have massive deep root systems, one of these trees was found to go 223 feet in the ground! That’s 38 feet taller than the leaning tower of pisa! This tree is known locally as the “tree of life” because of the nutrients it can offer but also named “The Shepard Tree” because Shepard’s would lie under it for shade. Either way I think it’s properly named. I pray that you immerse yourself in the Word, in prayer, and worship so that you find you are planted like this Shepard Tree. That your faith is deeply rooted in God’s love and your faith in Jesus, our good Shepherd guides your heart.