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A few years ago, when living in South Carolina, we went through Hurricane Matthew. I never dreamed this Hurricane would result in a lesson on deepening your relationship with God, but God has some unique ways of teaching us what He feels we need to learn.

This page/post may contain affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, as well as an affiliate of other programs, this means if you purchase something using these links, I will receive a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you! For more detailed information, please visit our Affiliate Disclaimer page

Old Oak Tree

This Hurricane frightened me quite a bit. For one, my husband was inches from being killed from a tree that fell right next to the spot he was standing in when he went outside to pull a loose shingle off the house before it broke a window.

When they say “stay inside” during a Hurricane, take it seriously!

That tree hit the house but thankfully didn’t do much damage (and didn’t hit my husband!).

On top of some other damage (minor really) that our home went through, our driveway started to buckle.

We had a very old, VERY large oak tree in front of the house and its root system ran under the driveway.

When the strong winds and torrential downpours pulled the tree slightly to one side, it pulled on the roots under the driveway and made them burst through some of the concrete. The tree was still standing, mostly due to the fact that, at its age, it had a substantial root system keeping it from toppling.

We appreciated that fact as it was right in front of the house.

Rooted in Faith

But looking at this driveway and seeing the roots underneath made me think about the roots of our faith.

It made me think of how we go about deepening our relationship with God and being rooted in faith.

We are called to produce fruit. There is much written in the Bible about the fruits of the spirit but also about our production of fruit as believers.

Matthew 7:17-20 is one such verse. It says:

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

You see, in order for a tree to produce fruit, it has to be healthy. A tree that is unhealthy will not produce good fruit, or any fruit at all.

In order for a tree to BE healthy, it needs to gain sufficient nourishment.

It needs water, it needs healthy soil, it needs food (which it gets from the soil) and it needs sufficient light based on the needs of that particular tree.

Everything, except the light, is provided to the tree by its roots. Without a viable root system, the tree will not gain what it needs to produce fruit.

It will likely just continue to exist without fulfilling its intended purpose or it may wither and die.

Like that tree, if we do not have a strong root system, we cannot bear fruit and be a light to the world if we are not rooted (in our case, rooted in faith).

Matthew 13:3-8 says:

And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This parable that Jesus shared demonstrates the importance of developing strong roots thereby deepening our relationship with God and with others.

He said “since they had no root, they withered away.”

Jesus made it clear; the lack of roots caused this withering to occur.

Getting Rooted

We too, like the seeds that fell on rocky ground, will wither away without producing fruit because we lack those roots.

So how do we ensure our roots are like that big old oak tree that was in my yard, resisting wind and rain and the storms of life?

Ephesians 3:17-19:

…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Being rooted and grounded in love!

1 John 4:8:

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is love! Knowing God is knowing love!

How do we know God?

His Word!

How do we develop our relationship with God in love?

Through prayer!

We become rooted and grounded and produce fruit when we know His Word and do it, showing love to others!

God’s Word

His Word is the light that gives us growth as the sun gives the tree the light it needs!

Jesus is the bread of life! He is the living water! He fills us, through His Word just like the tree gets its nourishment through the soil!

The more time we spend in the Word, the deeper our roots run and the more fruit we will produce.

As God’s love takes root in us, we will do that which He desires of us!

Yes, producing fruit is important for the believer in deepening your relationship with God and in being a light to others, but cannot be achieved without healthy roots.

Focus on the roots and we will overflow with fruit!

Bloggers, don’t forget to link up below!

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DAYS OF AWE SERIES: WHY DID JESUS CURSE THE FIG TREE?

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE OUTER COURT – JOURNEY INTO THE TABERNACLE

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