The root of the righteous endures. Proverbs 12:12

One fall morning a many years ago, I decided to be a bit more ambitious than usual, and instead of driving my two preschoolers to story time, I decided to pull them in the wagon. After having them both use the restroom and filling the wagon up with juice boxes and snacks, we began our 1 ½ mile journey. On the way to the library, we toured through an older section of town where the branches of tall walnut trees drape over the homes and street. When we reached this scenic area, my boys began to have an extremely bumpy ride. Instead of being smooth and level, the sidewalk was filled with cracks and crevices where the roots of the trees had broken through it. I was impressed by the strength of the roots of the huge walnut trees. Man-made concrete could not keep the roots and trees from growing. Motivated by this display of power, I prayed, “Lord, help me to be like those old walnut trees. Help me to survive and thrive even when life is tough as concrete. Help me be rooted for life!” I sensed the Lord reminding me that the answer to my own prayer was to immerse myself in God’s Word. I began to take practical steps at learning and understanding the inspired Word of God. Reading, memorizing, meditating, and reflecting on the Holy Scriptures needed to be a bigger priority in my daily choices. Being grounded daily in the Word of God would enable me to be rooted for life.
Lord, help me to dig deeply into Your Word. Amen.