Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NRSV)
PLANTED BY THE STREAM: It is a wise and blessed soul that doesn't waste itself running after the whims of the moment and joining in the gossip of the marketplace. Such a soul is like a tree planted beside living water, putting down deep roots to where its true nourishment is found. The heat cannot destroy it, nor the dry season cause it to wither. On the contrary, because it is connected to the source of its being, its leaves will not fall, nor shall it cease to bear fruit. Take this tree's wisdom as your model, and remain rooted and planted in the heart of the source of all life, returning to that deep root whenever the storms shake you and the paths confuse. (adapted from Jeremiah 17:5-8 and Psalm 1) :
~Margaret Silf
Grapevine roots serve several functions. They anchor and stabilize the vine and absorb water and nutrients for the plant. Roots store food for the plant (carbohydrates and nutrients) for future use and produce hormones that control plant functions.
Grapevines tend to have deeper and less dense root systems than other plants. Most of the grapevine roots sit in the top two feet of soil, but plant roots can grow up to 20 feet deep. Grapevine roots can also spread out a great distance. Although most of the dense roots are within 3 feet of the main vine, studies have shown the roots can spread as wide as 33 feet.
We abide in a vine that has strong roots, planted by a wise Gardener. Our roots bring us nourishment and stability. One definition of "abide" is to dwell, or be at home. Deeply rooted and abiding, we are home and held safe. We dwell in the heart of God.
Let Yourself Be Loved
I deeply know that I have a home in Jesus, just as Jesus has a home in God.
I know, too, that when I abide in Jesus I abide with him in God.
“Those who love me,” Jesus says, “will be loved by my Father” (John 14:21).
My true spiritual work is to let myself be loved, fully and completely, and
to trust that in that love I will come to the fulfillment of my vocation.
I keep trying to bring my wandering, restless, anxious self home,
so that I can rest there in the embrace of love.
~Henri Nouwen
Song: "I am the Vine" (John Michael Talbot)
Poem: "Rooted" (Pastor Steve)
You are rooted in Love, roots way down deep. Love feeds you. Sustains you. Holds you. Depend not on your strength, but the love that flows through you. Now, in this moment, you have what you need. Root.
For Reflection:
"Trees put down deep roots, seeking nourishment, water and a place of belonging. Our being too has deep roots, sustaining us through al that life throws at us. The space of prayer we might call the forest invites us to become still and quiet and to reconnect with those deep roots.
What nourishes your heart?
What ground water feeds the depths of your soul?
Where is your place of belonging?
Where, and with whom, do you feel rooted and grounded?" ~Margaret Silf
Songs: As we end this week's reflection on Water and Roots, I'd like to share two songs.
The first is an African American spiritual based on the scripture above. The second is an instrumental piece played by cello, piano and violin.
I shall not be moved (Mississipi John Hurt, 1893-1966) https://youtu.be/tLc8YeXP8FY
(This song was originally an African-American spiritual prior to emancipation, then also used in white revival services. Later the lyrics were changed to "WE will not be moved" and was sung in the union movement of the 1930's and 1940's and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's. Mississippi John Hurt was born in Avalon MS, worked as a sharecropper, teaching himself to play guitar at nine years of age. He became a well-known country blues musician and was recorded by the Library of Congress in 1964. He played music at coffeehouses and university venues, and on television.)
River Flows in You https://youtu.be/WSSIIC58Fsc
As you listen to the music, you might imagine a river flowing through your roots and into you.
This song reminds me of both our rootedness and the delight of water moving through us. We can trust the roots that hold us deep and safe, as we draw nourishment from God's living water. A few weeks ago I read this quote: "After a while, whoever you are, you just have to let go, and the river brings you home." (J. Harris)
We are home.
Rooted and abiding, breathe deep and take a drink.
Prayer:
God, let there be moments today
to where love and beauty can reach me...
Lead me to where I can grow
and send down roots into truth I can trust,
to where love lives
and beauty is awake.
~Kate Bowler
Sources:
Margaret Silf, Landscapes of Prayer, Oxford, England: Lion Books, 2011, pp. 36, 38.
Lisa Chinn, Grapevine Root Systems, SFGATE Newsletter, homeguides.sfgate.com.
Henri Nouwen, Daily Meditations, March 8, 2023, www.henrinouwen.org
Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Unfolding Light, February 9, 2022, www.unfoldinglight.net)
Joann Harris, Five Quarters of the Orange, New York: HarperCollins, 2001
Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie, The Lives We Actually Have, 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days, New York: Convergent Books, 2023, p. 148-149
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