I am sitting on the long front porch of a rustic cabin
looking out over a small lake where beaver are busy building and ducks swimming,
nestled in the mountains of Red River, New Mexico. It is absolutely beautiful
here, being surrounded by Aspen and Pine trees that rustle in the breeze and
the many sounds of wildlife. A great place to connect with God’s creation. My
husband and I are here for a week to volunteer at a camp designed for adults
with traumatic brain injuries. I have to say that I did not know what to expect
on this trip which was good because every day had a different experience in
store. The one thing that really stood out for me during my time here is the
basic need we have as humans to connect with others and find common ground. It
was wonderful to watch the excitement of the campers when they saw one another
each day and that excitement to connect with each other did not fade as the
week went on. This was a unique
experience for people to interact with many others who have a similar story or
experience as they do and to just have fun and share a little part of their
life. Many of the campers that I spoke with wanted to share their story and I
believe it is a way of bringing you into their world so you can connect with
them. The environment at this camp was filled with love and that is what we are
all looking for, a place where we will be loved and accepted.
Each day we would drive down a steep gravel road from the
cabin to the church where the camp was located. During that drive, I noticed
the trees along the side of the road and how the ground at the base of the
trees had eroded and you could see some of the roots of the tree. It made me think
about how tall these trees are and how strong their roots must be to keep that
tree upright even when there is a forceful breeze blowing. There is a scripture
that I have been meditating on recently that God brought back to my attention
while here and it is:
Jeremiah
17:7-8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust
is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its
roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; and will not be
anxious in a year of drought. Nor cease to yield fruit.
I want to be like this tree and have my roots so grounded in
Jesus that even when storms come my way, I stand tall knowing that I will be
okay. In this verse, the water represents the word of God and the roots are our
hearts. When we read or meditate on God’s word, it strengthens our root system
which is our heart. When any storm comes to a well rooted heart, the automatic response
is to look to God as our source and not ourselves.
What a way to live! To be worry free knowing that God will
take care of every need, so you don’t have to worry about it and that is when
the fruit comes. If a fruit tree does not have strong roots, you will see
little or no fruit on it. The fruit comes naturally when there is a strong root
system and there is no striving involved. When we build up our root system in
our hearts with God’s word, the fruit will come naturally. Fruit like peace,
joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. We don’t have to strive to make our own fruit.
We focus on our roots and the rest will take care of itself.
