[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: How deep are your roots?

Read: MARK 4:1-9

Meditation verse:

“But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died” (Mark 4:6, NLT).

The oak is a very tall tree between 40 and 80 feet and is said to surpass 300 years. A very interesting feature of the oak tree is the root system. It pushes downwards as deep as the height of the tree and branching out wide. It can withstand very strong storms like tornados. Even when stripped of the leaves, they survive because of the strength of their root systems. An oak has breadth, depth, and width. The Sower in today’s reading went out to sow and the seeds which fell on shallow soil sprouted quickly but alas, when the sun arose, the plant wilted because the underlying rocks had prevented the roots from growing deep down. 

Three fundamental questions to ponder today are “how deep is my root?” “Can it withstand the storms of life?” “What rock is preventing it from reaching deep down”? Your root is your relationship with God. If it is shallow and superficial, you will be like a wave of the sea, easily swayed by the cares of life. You will be easily defeated by adversity. The rock hindering your roots maybe your current challenges or problems, adversity, sin, wrong relationships, self-sufficiency, fear, self-doubt, or your lack of faith. Realize however that in all of these, you are more than a conqueror, through Christ who loved you.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans -8:38-39. 

So, take away the rock or rocks hindering your root from reaching down. If there is unconfessed sin in your life, ask God for forgiveness. Give attention to prayers and study of the word. Believe in yourself and God’s ability to help you. The more time you spend in God’s presence, the deeper your roots will be.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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