“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things He had done…”
(Judges 2:10 NLT)
“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
(Ephesians 3:17 NLT)
I listened to Levi Lusko’s Passion 2020 message over the weekend, the one where he talks about the Dust Bowl. In it, he shares how the decisions we make in our today will dictate our next decade. Our story (individually and corporately) is a summary of our choices.
He also talked about the necessity of prairie grass in the Great Plains. It initially appeared purposeless and endless – imagine millions of acres of un-manicured lawn. The homesteaders would not know the value of prairie grass until they’d tilled much of it down. The grass towered five feet above ground but the roots dug equally deep; five full feet beneath the soil line. This elaborate root system created an intricate erosion prevention system that could withstand the harsh weather conditions of the Great Plains. High wind was no match for established roots. Drought would brittle the grass but never deplete their source completely. The only threat to prairie grass turned out to be gasoline-powered tractors. And so, acre by acre, the grass was tilled under and uprooted. All was good for the first few years, but then the winds picked up and the topsoil blew away, no longer anchored to the earth with deep roots. For a full decade, the nation choked down dust.
The Dust Bowl happened because people pulled up long-standing natural root systems before they fully understood their purpose.
I read Paul’s words this morning about roots and I can’t help but think of prairie grass. When our roots are deep in Him, we can survive about anything: wind, rains, drought, disease, even death. When are roots go deep in Christ we have a system in place to sustain us through the best of times and the worst of times.
But what happens when greedy proprietors with a well-fueled machine comes through and systematically destroys these systems? A field or two and a people can survive, but what if millions succumb to the tilling and then the wind begins to blow?
I watched the State of the Union address. At least I tried. The divisiveness of our national leadership was more than I could bear. Half the house stood in applause while the other half sat sullen and making faces. My heart was pained to see our elected officials acting so disdainfully toward one another in plain sight. Did they forget that their real-time response was being broadcast to a watching nation? Or was it all a ruse, designed to distract from the critical information that was being transmitted? Either way, it is clear that the long-standing roots of morality and decency are woefully absent in our nation’s capital. We’ve strayed so far from the values that conceived the so-called United States of America. Unity is far from our current reality.
It seems that the root system that this nation was established with has been methodically stripped out from underneath us. The always-new-but-never-satisfying news & entertainment industry has plowed through nearly every strand of morality that started this country. (Last Sunday’s half-time show only further supports this observation.) I wonder, what will happen when the world winds begin to blow: famine, flood, drought, disease and war? How will America fare if we are no longer rooted in Christ? What if we’ve allowed the media industry to strip millions of acres of something vital to our survival?
We can’t address the masses, but we can examine our own hearts. How strong is our root system in Christ? Sure, we may have a few inches of depth in Him, but will that be enough when the weather changes? And what about our families, our friends, our communities? Have we lived in a way that communicates the gospel effectively? Have we allowed our faith to be the defining feature of our life, or is it just one of many descriptors of a too-full life? Shallow roots will not hold up to high winds. Now is the time to grow deep.
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down deep into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow in thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7 NLT)
Lord, today we learned why root systems exist. We lift up our country and ask for mercy. Forgive us for our insolence. Please spark the cleansing fire of repentance from coast to coast in this wayward nation. Pour out revival as hearts begin seek You. Begin with us. We are renewed in pursuit of You and our purpose here on earth. Help us push past the topsoil and toward the bedrock. Make us immovable in You. Amen.