Still Standing

Here in Mississippi, it seems like it has been raining on and off forever. These extended days of rainy, often stormy weather have made things muddy and messy.

But on a recent trip down the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, the environmental impact of this continual onslaught of rain was unmistakable. It was also scary. Trees of all shapes and sizes had literally fallen at random spots along the Parkway. It was as if these trees simply could not take any more moisture. They simply fell over, and sometimes, they fell right across the roadway, injuring and even killing motorists in the process.

I actually heard one falling last weekend at a national park near the Natchez Trace Parkway. The sound was ominous, especially since it was hard to pinpoint exactly where the tree was located – or in which direction it was falling.

Thankfully, it fell away from us, and after its fall, we could see its sparse root system sticking up in the air, several yards beyond us in a thicket of small pine trees.

Yes, it was a stark reminder of the possible side effects of this wet, rainy time of the year. But we have also had a few days of beautiful, sunny days in the midst of these storms.

In fact, my husband and I took a purposeful trip on one of those recent gorgeous days to do some much-needed shopping. After a day filled with good food and laughter, we ended up at a nationally known warehouse grocery store, situated on top of a large hill in a nearby city.

As we were pulling out of this store’s gigantic parking lot to head home, I noticed something that captured my attention – and my heart.

A line of oak trees lined the west perimeter of that store’s parking lot. And all of those trees were hugging a ridge that ran about 10 to 20 feet above the parking lot. But the unusual thing about this tree line was the fact that one entire side of the root system for each of those trees was totally exposed.

Every single customer could drive along the edge of the parking lot, and if they desired, they could stop their vehicles to literally reach out and touch a large portion of the roots of each tree embedded in that lofty ridge.

It was the strangest sight!

Several of the trees were in rough shape and were already leaning quite a bit toward the parking lot. It was sadly obvious that they would not survive that scenario long, especially if the rain continued to fall as it had over the past weeks. Those oaks were destined for a fall, sooner or later.

But one tree in that ridge was different. It was flourishing. Filled with lots of green leaves, its entire system of obviously healthy branches was reaching up and out. There was no hint of imminent disaster for this oak tree. And the reason was obvious: Its roots went deeper and spread wider than any of the other trees.

Now, in such an industrial setting, I imagined that each of those trees was planted years ago at the same time. Their symmetrical spacing was planned by some gardening architect decades back. But what this designer did not count on was the swift erosion of the ridge’s soil beneath those trees.

Similar trees planted in similar soil, but somehow, one tree had managed to send down roots deeper and wider than the others. And those roots, though exposed for the world to see, were holding that tree straight and steady, even helping it to grow in the midst of storms and adversities.

The sight of those roots and that tree took my breath away, as the Holy Spirit instantly spoke to my heart and showed me that it was a picture of me and my family.

Yes, we have been through storm after storm in the past few years. And yes, it feels like every part of us has been broken and wounded in battle after battle. But even though our every hurt and heartbreak has been totally exposed to the entire world, we are still standing.

Why? Because our roots run deep and wide. And unlike the other trees in that ridge or the fallen trees scattered along the Natchez Trace, ours is a sure root system because we are grounded in the blood-bought soil of our Savior and His eternally perfect Words of Life.

Yes, as a family, we are more broken and battered than we ever have been, but we are not defeated. According to Psalm 1:3, we will be like trees firmly planted by streams of water that never wither, always produce, and continually prosper.

So, even with our roots exposed and the storms raging around us, we will continue to stand in the strength of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And He is more than enough.