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This text relates in terms that a Horticulturist or farmer would find easy to understand. All the good textbooks on tree planting, show that when young trees are planted and they get ideal growing season and too much rain, even a short drought can kill them. Why? Because it was too easy! During frequent rain they did not have to push their roots deeper into the soil in search of water. They did not develop any real strength, so they developed a weak, shallow, root system and then they die very easily when it is dry.

When on Mission in the Philippines we observed thousands of young mango trees fell over from winds experienced after heavy typhoon rains. It was noticeable that the roots had not gone deep and were only in a small radius from the tree. The reason was that the soil was good near the top and the water table very near the surface. We can see that our text likens these trees to our faith in Jesus Christ.

If we want our faith to grow, we must be prepared to let the roots of that faith go down deep, take a firm hold, have it strengthened through adversity and allow ourselves to draw our nourishment from the Lord, so we can grow and always remembering to give thanksgiving for this blessing so that our faith will withstand drought and storm.

An early Apostle wrote the proverb “In the school of suffering one learns the will of God”. We see that faith can grow and is strengthened when trials and tribulations come our way in life. We need this strength for we can read of Apostle Peter’s warning. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. The Apostle Paul asks the question in Romans 8:35, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?”

Let us be able to boldly answer ‘Nay’ to this question, remembering that they all are tools to make the roots of our faith go deeper and broader, so we can withstand all the storms that come our way.