Deep Roots
Mark 4:13-20 (NLT)
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is
produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Proverbs 12:3 (NLT)
3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.
Jeremiah 17:8 (NLT)
8 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.
Ezekiel 31:7 (NLT)
7 It was strong and beautiful with wide-spreading branches, for its roots
went deep into abundant water.
Matthew 13:6 (NLT)
6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have
deep roots, they died.
Luke 8:13 (NLT)
13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and
receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a
while, then they fall away when they face temptation.
When researching “deep roots”, the following were the results: the deepest roots are generally found in deserts, temperate coniferous forests; the shallowest roots are generally found in tundra (lots of plant life), boreal forest and temperate grasslands. The Wild Fig Tree has the deepest roots (393.7 ft.). The fig tree is in part a succulent plant that lives in hot desert-like zones and is then programmed to store huge quantities of water in its trunk, branches and roots during the vegetative growth. In fact, in its natural environment, rains are rare and droughts are frequent. The fig tree prefers to grow on rocks or hills, where the soil is free-draining, getting sun and heat from all sides, rather in very rich, cold soils. Often, the neighboring rocks and soils are bare and reflect the heat; the grass around the plant is non-existent and the soil is therefore dry and burned by the sun. Let’s apply “deep roots” to our lives today. When I think of a tree that has deep roots, my mind would believe the tree is surrounded by rich, succulent soil and the grass is beautiful around it. But the contrary, the deepest roots are grown in the driest places. We as God’s children, think our life should be easy and smooth, surrounded by nice, wonderful things. We think hard times in our life are bad, but God shows us these are the times when our roots grow deeper. When life gets tough, and you are confused and feel like God is not at work around you -- this is a time to seek Him with all of your heart and be real before Him and allow your roots to grow deeper. Think about your past, I know you can remember some hard trials, when you were seeking God with all of your heart, and now you can look back and see what God taught you through the trial. You did not realize it, at the time of the trial, but weeks, months, or years later, you look back and can see it! So, I encourage you today to continue to seek Him with all of your heart, even when it’s hard! I promise you, your roots will grow deep! Let us “be 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.”
I challenge you today to reflect and ask God, how deep are your roots?
God Bless,
Amy Fletcher
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