Craig Clouston

 

Roots

May 17

...consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Romans 11:18

As Josh dug a little deeper beside the crack in the driveway, he found multiple roots spreading out in every direction. He was getting tired of what he viewed as their destructive growth, forcing large parts of the asphalt to heave and split.

The tree causing the issue just happened to be the one he and his sons, Matt and Scott, had planted years ago when they were just boys.

At the time, he hadn't foreseen the potential problems from planting the sapling within fifteen feet of the driveway, he was focused more on it being time invested in his boys. It had always stood as a reminder of the labor they'd shared, and how the boys had nurtured the tree early on.

Now, twenty years later, he was regretting his inexperience as a horticulturist. Everywhere he dug the pesky roots showed up. The sapling had taken hold in fertile ground and flourished, becoming a large mossy oak!

In spite of his frustration he smiled, remembering how proud the boys were when the tree bloomed after its first winter. Looking into the hole, Josh made a decision; the sentiment and meaning found in the roots outweighed his irritation. To heck with the driveway. I'll just keep patching it!

†

Roots provide life-giving support for the tree. Digging deep, they do everything they can to find and provide what the tree needs, letting nothing stand as a barrier to their responsibility. As parents, we try to do the same for our children.

Throughout Country Recording Artist Parmalee's hit song, 'Roots', runs a powerful message of family, home, and heritage, but at the heart of the song is a telling lyric: “No, I can't outrun these roots, even if I wanted to. Thank God I can't, their tangled up in every part of who I am, without em I know I don't stand a chance!” Wow! To recognize and embrace their familial heritage shows wisdom and maturity.

Jesus is the Root of Jesse, and He is the support our spiritual lives need. His life and sacrifice provide us the ability to not only survive but, like the tree in today's story, flourish in the face of adversity. And just like Parmalee's assessment of their tangled roots, without Jesus, we don't stand a chance.

Prayer

“Thank You, Father God, for sending Jesus, our life-giving Root, Who provides nourishment and strength for this life, and the security of our eternal life. Amen!”