Roots

I saw this image from the storm of yesterday and last night. That Tree is stinking Strong and Huge. You wouldn't be scared to walk under it for fear that it might fall over. I can't help but be reminded of our tendency to be arrogant in our faith. To let our guard down and think that we're too holy to be affected by temptation or trails.

Jeremiah 17:7-9 

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD.

He is like a tree planted by water,

That sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

for it does not cease to bear fruit."

God uses trees as a parable for our life several times in the bible.  You can be a firmly planted tree but if you don't maintain your roots a simple afternoons storm can topple you.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Satan is always on his guard looking for a small crack in our Armor.

Ez. 17:5-10

Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig, and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.

"And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from the bed where it was planted, that he might water it.  It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.

 "Say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers, so that all its fresh sprouting leaves wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it from its roots. Behold, it is planted; will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it—wither away on the bed where it sprouted?"

                                                                  Proverbs 4:23

Guard your heart with all diligence,  For from it flow the springs of life.