Rooted and Grounded

 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 ESV).

 

I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to the giant redwoods of California. As you can see from the picture, they dwarf an automobile as it travels through the roads of these forests. Redwoods, particularly coast redwoods, or Sequoia Sempervirens, are the tallest trees on the planet. They can reach heights of nearly 400 feet, which is roughly equivalent to a 37-story skyscraper—so high that, when standing at the bottom of a redwood, you can't see the top, even on a clear day. These trees can grow to be so tall because they're ancient and because they're well adapted to their temperate, foggy climate. A typical redwood lives for 500 to 700 years, although some have been documented at more than 2,000 years old, meaning that some of the coast redwoods living today were alive during the time of the Roman Empire. Not only that, but coast redwoods have been on the planet for more than 240 million years. That means they've been around since the time of dinosaurs, or maybe even earlier. However, the real secret to their longevity lies in the fact that their roots spread out intertwining with the surrounding trees. They depend on each other for their stability and strength in the face of storms.

 

This is the image the Apostle Paul calls on when he writes that he wants us to be “rooted and grounded” in the presence of God. First, we draw strength from the actual presence of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; but second, we also draw strength from other believers that we joined with in the pursuit of His purpose and will. A community of faith is essential to accomplish this principle. From our community we are both strengthened in our knowledge and encouraged in our journey.

 

I know there are times when it is impossible to be physically present with fellow believers, however with modern technology we still can be connected to them. Take advantage of every means of staying connected to the Lord through Scripture and to other believers through conversation. It will make an enormous difference in your life.