Deep Roots

Psalm 1
Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Easter is the season for new life. Reminders of resurrection are all around us: dogwood blossoms bursting forth, azaleas ablaze with color, green grass blanketing the earth. Spring entices us with possibilities for growth.

Are we growing in our internal lives? In our Christian journeys? Are we like the trees in the Psalm, strong and sturdy and confident in our creator God?

It’s easy to feel as though our roots are shallow; we often have the urge to yank them up and plant them elsewhere, especially when we’re afraid. Droughts can make us anxious—droughts of loneliness, loss, and uncertainty. Sometimes our fruits contain bruises and bumps.

The good news of Easter is that even in the midst of our struggles, even in the midst of death, life reigns victorious. And this life comes through the grace of Jesus Christ. So this week, as we continue to celebrate the resurrection, may we be confident that our roots are deep and wide and strong. May we trust the rich soil holding us together. May we let go of fear and turn it into ripe, green fruits of openness, faith, and vulnerability.

This week, let us draw on the nourishment of God and remember that we are planted by a rushing stream of abundant living waters.
May we live with the confidence that we’re planted, not by ourselves, but in the rich soil of God’s love and grace. Doing so, we will stretch to find the light.

May it be so.

Kate Hurst Floyd