BY: MEGAN GILMORE
Trees are a fascinating part of creation. Have you ever stopped to think about this?
I love looking at nature. Flowers, mountains, the ocean, all of it reminds me of how God is the ultimate creator! However, there is something special about trees. One of my favorite trees is the Banyan tree. Have you ever seen one? They have aerial roots that grow from the branches and run vertically to the ground. I am fascinated by the roots. The roots make this tree interesting for me to look at. I could see in the presence of this tree and just watch it. I may sound crazy, but I see God’s unique handiwork in this tree.
I think of this tree often when I meditate on the word God gave me for 2021...rooted. When I first heard God give this word to me in January I wanted to understand better. It seemed like an easy word to understand, but maybe there was something I was missing. Thanks to google I started to dive into the definition of rooted. I discovered it meant, “establish deeply and firmly.”
I had to laugh because I feel like my life has never been one that is rooted. Especially when you look at the physical world. I have moved more times than most people. About every two to three years God has picked me up and put me somewhere else. I have never felt a place has been home or that I had roots anywhere. This is why I felt this word was a bit funny to be given to me. However, I know when God speaks I need to listen.
The further I dug into this word God led me to scripture in Isaiah. I am thankful that He confirms His speaking to me through His word. It is comforting to be able to cling to His truth when I am unsure of life. When I read these verses I knew exactly what God meant by given me the word rooted. I knew I was going to need to hold tight to them.
“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.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
Rooted in Him. It had nothing to do with being rooted in a place, a home, a community, or even a job.
As 2021 began my life was again being uprooted. God had led me to open my own company. For the first time, I was not working in an established school or learning center. I was having to allow God to grow my business roots in Him. I had to trust Him to bring it all together. This past year with the Coronavirus life has felt disconnected from real community, but I had just started to find some community when I felt God leading me to move. Again, I was being uprooted when my word for 2021 was rooted.
Every time I felt the uprooting over the past few months God brought me back to Jeremiah 17:7-8. He was calling me to be rooted in Him. He wants me to be firmly established in Him. He wants me to stand firm in His truth, His word, His calling, His love, His purpose, and live my life rooted in Him. He was reminding me that He is my confidence. No matter what life brings, when I am firmly established and rooted in Him I will be ok. I will flourish in times of difficulty and He will be present every step of the way. He is where I am rooted.
You may be a person who is firmly rooted in life. You have a home and have placed roots there. Maybe you have a career you have deep roots in. Or you have a community that you feel firmly planted in. Those are all wonderful things to have in life...but are you rooted in God?
When life gets hard do you flail around in the winds of turmoil? This is not the life God wants for you. He wants you to be firmly established in Him. I know it can be hard to dig into Him when life is hard, but, beautiful friend, trust me it is worth everything. It is worth it to dig deep into Him. He loves you more than you can ever know and comprehend. He will get you through it - dig in. Let your roots grow deep into the goodness of God.