Rooted Tom Ellsworth

We live in a valley on the coast of Los Angeles County. There is a stream that flows past the north end of our property, makes a wide loop, and then passes on past the south end of our property. Close to the wide loop of that stream there used to be a giant oak tree, probably sixty feet high and about that circumference. The trunk was about eight feet in diameter. Its giant roots had anchored it in the sandy soil of the valley for hundreds of years. It survived drought and fire, disease and insect pests, and the periodic floods that rose 10 to 15 feet around it. One year the stream changed course. The new course brought the stream to the edge of the roots of that great tree. There was a little erosion. The next year, when the rains came, there was more erosion. So it continued for about eight years, until, late one night after many hours of rain, there was a loud cracking rumble in the valley, and that might oak fell. We have often been counseled to sink our own roots deep in the gospel. Securely grounded, the droughts and fires, the pests and floods of life cannot topple us. But, if we allow some of our roots to be exposed, eroded by expediency, selfishness, and lassitude, we put ourselves in peril. Gospel roots are familiar to us all: faith, obedience, repentance, fidelity at home, following the prophets, activity, service, prayer, and scripture study. Tom Ellsworth, 9/2009