Bending, but not Broken

In the middle of a field near Enumclaw, WA., stands a tall Oak tree. It must be hundreds of years old. I do not know the story behind why one single Oak tree was left to thrive in an otherwise empty field, but I do know that it spoke to me in a mighty way. I wanted to stop and take a picture of the enormous tree, towering in that field. I couldn't help but wonder how many seasons it has seen...how many winter storms it has withstood, or how many children have played in the cool shade of its many stretched out branches during the heat of summer.

There is more to that old Oak tree than the eye can see though. It not only has a wide base and many flourishing branches that stretch toward the sky, but it also has roots that grow deep and cannot be moved. The wind and storms may come, and the leaves may russle above, but deep down below, that Oak tree is not going to budge.

It's like that when we are rooted and grounded in the love of God.

Ephesians 3:16-18 says "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,"

The definition of the word rooted, or rhizoo in the greek, is "to cause to strike root, to strengthen with roots, to render firm, to fix, establish, cause a person or thing to be thoroughly grounded."

The word "established", (or "grounded" in the NKJV) in the greek is themelioo, which means to lay the foundation, to found, to make stable, or to establish.

In Colossians 2:6-7 Paul says "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

The word "rooted" here is the same greek word rhizoo, that's used in Ephesians 3:17. The words "built up" come from the greek word epoikodomeo, meaning "to finish the structure of which the foundation has already been laid, to give constant increase in Christian knowledge and in a life conformed thereto."

You see, our faith in Christ is not unlike the Oak tree. We must have roots that grow deep, and a foundation like the Oak tree's strong trunk in order to grow in knowledge and flourish in our walk with Christ.

Then, no matter what happens, no matter what trials we face, or what storms may come our way, we will stand firm in the love of Christ. As long as we are rooted and established in Him, we will not be moved.

The first verse of the song "How He Loves Us" describes how I felt looking at that tall Oak in the field. Here are the words:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

"Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy..." I'm bending, but not broken. His love is the source of my strenth to withstand anything that comes my way in this lifetime.

How He loves us all.

Let me leave you with this passage from Isaiah 61:1-3 (Italics mine)

The Year of the LORD's Favor

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

² to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.