A SIGHT TO BEHOLD

                      

In the growth cycle of fruit-bearing plants, fruit comes at the very end. The cycle starts with a seed being planted in the ground. When watered, the seed will break open and begin to put down roots. That root system will continue to grow as the seed forms a shoot and eventually breaks through the surface of the soil into air and sunlight. Both the plant and its root system will keep growing until the plant is strong and mature enough to bear fruit.

Significantly, in order for a plant to survive, much less bear fruit, its root system has to take up more space underground than the plant takes up above ground. When you look up at one of those immense Giants, you’re actually standing on root systems that are wider than those trees are tall. This is the principle of foundations. A foundation always has to be bigger than the thing it is supporting.(Banning Liebscher 2016)

In Psalm 1:2-3 we are told that blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, he “shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water... whose leaf also shall not wither”. This metaphor of the flourishing tree is a very beautiful one; a tree growing by the rivers in a desert country like Israel is conspicuous and a beauty to behold.  It is green, lush and lovely throughout the year.

This verse must have had a great meaning to the first readers of the Psalm. In the desert where they lived, there was this tree that defied nature and remained green. The hot sun beat down on all the trees with the same intensity. The trees planted away from the river withered and dried but the tree by the rivers remained green. It was not affected by the changing weather conditions around it.

The psalmist says that a godly man “shall be like a tree planted”. This tree did not grow accidentally or plant itself; God deliberately planted it where it is (Matt. 15:13). A wild tree is no mans property, no man watches over it. But, a tree that is planted is owned, nurtured and protected. The godly have a special providence over them. God watches over them (Psalm 1:6), his angels encamps around them, (Ps 34:7). All their ways are guarded (Ps 91: 11-12, Ex. 23:20).

Why did the psalmist use a tree and not any other plant in his metaphor? When we look at a tremendous cedar, towering up into the heavens above, we see beauty, strength and stability. These three things are exactly what we long for in our own lives. So what is the secret of this tree's beauty, strength and stability? It is the hidden part; underneath the massive tree is an equally impressive root system, extending the same distance as the height of the tree underground.

A tree has a great network of roots underground that is invisible to our eyes. The roots go deep and spread widely in the soil. Small plants have a lower potential for deep rooting than large trees. Trees can reach a depth of 7m while a herb can only reach a depth of 30 cm. Trees  have a better potential to explore large volumes of soils  and  to take up large volumes of water than herbs.  This is what makes them strong and beautiful.

Roots play such a key role in the survival and health of a plant.  They anchor it, keeping it from being blown or washed away during storms.  From the soil they tap the water and nutrients needed for growth, health and production. A deep root system acts as an anchor for the tree, allowing it to weather storms without toppling.  In a tempest, a strong tree might sway but if its roots are deep and healthy, it will stand firm. It may bend to the ground level but it will bounce back after the storm.

After the flood God made this promises “As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Gen 8:22). He has kept that promise to this day. But this also means that as long as they are on earth, trees will be subjected to cold and heat, rainy season and dry season, sunlight and darkness.

These seasons are not accidental; they are set by God for a good purpose. Every season is important for the life of the tree. During wet season surface water makes the tree develop shallow roots which feed on the topsoil, the layer richest in plant nutrients. However the shallow roots cannot anchor the tree during storms. When dry weather sets in, seasonal surface streams dry out. The plants that entirely depend on them wilt and die.  But a tree sends its roots deep into the underground streams which never dry out; they are not affected by weather.

What is true for plants is also true for human beings. As long as man is under the sun he must go through different seasons. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Solomon tells us that to everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance; A time to gain and a time to lose; A time to keep silence and a time to speak; A time of war and a time of peace. Again the seasons follow a pattern similar to that in Genesis 8:32.

To survive these changing seasons the godly must be planted by permanent streams. The most important part of the believer’s life is the ‘spiritual root system’.  A strong and stable Christian who is beautiful to behold in the deserts of life has an invisible root network that go deep and wide in the word of God. His Bible knowledge is wide (Genesis to Revelation) and deep (internalized and adopted). He does not rely on few verses that are common and famous. He studies extensively not only to acquire information but also to practise what he learns.

The quality that Paul refers to when he says “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58 Esv) is an end product of an invisible process. People only see the end product and not all the hard work that goes into producing it. The public sees a beautiful stable life, what they do not see are the hours spent with God. A deep and wide root system doesn’t develop overnight, it takes years. 

In Jeremiah 17:7-8 we read “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”The trees spoken of in Jeremiah and Psalms were planted by the river, a perfect spot for getting the water and nourishment they needed.

We were created and called to not only survive harsh circumstances and trials, but to grow, thrive, and bear fruit through them. God promises that if we have a deep root system that is tapped into him daily, he will not allow us to waver, to be shaken, or to be carried off course in life. That does not mean we won’t ever wobble a bit or go through trials, but with His help we will not fall. That is an incredible and comforting promise!

Strongly anchored trees (like the house built on the rock) can withstand the many storms that come their way (Luke 6:48-49). God will not allow the righteous who trust in Him to be shaken or moved (Ps. 55:22). The root of the righteous cannot be moved” (Prov. 12:3).

We must not settle for the rushing surface waters of emotion and experience. They have their place in the Christian life, but we need to take the time to learn the deeper, strengthening truths of the Bible and the deeper realities of the Spirit (1 Cor. 2: 9-13). Then, when the pressures of life increase or the strong winds of temptation blow, we won’t be toppled.

What do you place your confidence in?  Where do you find security and peace of mind?  What sustains you when times are hard?  What do your thoughts dwell on during the day?  The answers to these questions can help each of us how deep and healthy our roots are right now.