Last spring, we had a very bad thunderstorm roar through our neighborhood. The sky got very dark, the wind was fierce, and the rain didn’t come down - it blew in sideways!

After the storm passed, our local weatherman announced that wind speed during the blow had reached nearly 100 kilometers per hour.

The storm was over in a matter of minutes, but the damage was incredible! The electricity was out. Some of our neighbors had lost parts of their roofs. Tree limbs and branches lay all over the ground.

But the trees were the most amazing sights. They had been completely uprooted, and were lying flat on the ground. It was as if a giant hand had yanked them right out of the earth.

Strangely though, other trees in the same area were still standing tall. They had lost some branches and leaves, but remained upright and firmly embedded in the ground.

So what was the difference? They all encountered the same wind. They were all planted in the same soil. Why did some trees stand firm, while others crashed to the ground?

The answer lies below the surface of the earth, in the root systems that we never see. Some trees have roots that only go down into the ground a few inches, then branch out through shallow soil. Other trees have roots that reach deep into the ground.

When the soil becomes saturated with water, and the wind starts blowing, trees with shallow roots are in danger of being quickly uprooted. Trees with deep roots stand a much better chance of surviving a storm.

Our lives are much the same. If we take time to bury our roots deep in the rich earth of God’s love, we can face the fiercest storm with confidence. If our roots are entwined in the shallow soil of this world, even a mild wind may be our undoing.

In the Bible book called Matthew, Jesus Christ says, 'But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.'

How deep do your spiritual roots go? Are they deep enough to withstand the troubling winds that blow into all our lives? The deeper your roots reach into God’s love, the better chance you will have of surviving the storms of life.

Return to the top of the page?

Have you had a chance to hold a baby lately? I got to hold a newborn child the other day. What a thrill!

She had a beautiful little face with tiny features, and fuzzy hair that stood up all over her head!

Her little hands were waving in the air, so I reached out and rubbed my palm over for fingers. As I did so, she grabbed hold of my forefinger. Her grip was so tight. It was as if she was holding on for dear life!

I talked to her for awhile as she cooed and laughed. She gradually went to sleep as we rocked.

I thought perhaps I’d lay her down where she might rest more comfortably, but every time I tried to pull my finger away she tightened her grip.

That was OK by me. I was more than content to keep right on rocking, while this sweet child slept holding my hand.

In this respect adults and children are much the same. We ALL need someone strong and caring to hold on to.

For Christians, that strong, caring someone is Jesus Christ. In the Bible book called Hebrews it says, "We have a great high priest who has gone into heaven. He is Jesus, the Son of God. Because we have such a great high priest, let us hold on to the things we believe. We have a high priest who can feel with us when we are weak. He has been tested in every way, just as we are. But he did not do anything wrong."

Not only is Jesus willing to hold each one of us tightly in hand, he’s also able to serve as our high priest in heaven, pleading our cause before God the Father. Better still, Jesus Christ has experienced the worst this life has to offer and so he understands our fears and concerns.

So the next time a small child reaches for your hand, remember that Christ our Lord is standing close by patiently waiting for you to take his hand.

Return to the top of the page?

Have you ever spent much time with small children? My, they have a lot of energy! I once had the opportunity to teach a class of four-year-olds and quickly learned that playing outside is one of their favorite activities. Out of doors they can run and yell to their heart's content. One hot summer day, a student named Cory walked up to me and asked if he and his friend, Jonathan, could go inside for a drink of water. I said, "Sure, but come right back outside." When the two boys didn't return, I went in to investigate. I found Cory and Jonathan playing in the water in the bathroom. They were soaked! As children always do, they began to blame each other. Cory said, "Jonathan did it first!" Being a teacher, I wanted to use the opportunity to teach the boys a lesson and so I asked, "Cory, if Jonathan had jumped off a bridge, would you do THAT too?" Cory thought a minute, and said, "How high of a bridge?" Well! We can all laugh at the twists and turns a child’s mind can take. But be honest, don’t we adults often do the very same thing? We want to play just as close to trouble as we can without falling over the edge into disaster. It often seems thrilling to live so close to calamity. But in the Bible book called First Timothy, the apostle Paul says "But you, (child) of God, flee from (evil things), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." God doesn't want us just to say, 'No' to sin, he wants us to FLEE from evil, to turn our backs and run! He knows how easily we can be drawn into the sin that surrounds us. And to help us avoid temptation God gives us something to run towards, to fill up our lives with. Let's read the second part of that verse again, "…and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." Doesn't that sound like the kind of life you’d like to have?

Return to the top of the page?