Grounded

Grounded
By Carolyn McCardell
On the way home from lunch with my family, my son’s curiousity encouraged him to ask a question. We had just eaten at a restaurant which was newly constructed. There at the restaurant there were trees that had cables tied to their base. The cables were secured in the ground by stakes. My son wondered why the trees had the cables tied to them. His dad answered him by saying that since the trees were not there from the beginning when they were newly planted, they had to be stabilized by the cables. I took the liberty of researching the answer to my son’s question. I found that all newly planted trees should be staked with rope for a period of 1-2 years or until they have had time to firmly establish their root system. Staking is an important part of their proper growth & stability. Similarly young trees which are planted in a particularly windy location or on an incline may eventually begin to lean in one direction as a result of the constant wind blowing against them. It is important to the strength of such a tree to keep it straightened upright before it is too big to correct.
Staking is done at the time of planting to help stabilize the tree form the effects of strong Winds.
On the spiritual side when trials and tribulations come if we are planted firmly in Christ we can’t be so easily uprooted when trials come. Just like staking is important in planting trees, it is also important in our walk in Christ. This may include hanging out with more seasoned Christians to help stabilize us until our root system is connected to Christ. Why do we need to be rooted in Christ? If you have ever been through a place that had a hurricane or tornado you can see the trees that have been pushed down where their root system is exposed or uprooted. As Christians, if we are rooted in Christ that will not happen because our roots are strong and firm and that’s the picture we get here of a firm foundation with strength and stability through his Word. No matter how your circumstances may toss you to and fro your anchor in God is stronger than your problems.
God Bless