The Beauty of this World

I happen to live in a coastal area that is very windy. Oftentimes, the strong winds cause a lot of destruction by blowing away house roofs and destroying trees and crops in the gardens. At one time, the winds ravaged my maize garden, leaving the maize plants bent. So, I had to get sticks to support them so they would not fall flat and get completely uprooted.

However, I have noticed one particular tree that is never shaken by the winds— the palm tree. When other trees are torn out by the wind, the palm tree remains in its position, unmoved because of its deep roots that give it stability.

On our own, we are all like maize, easily bent and broken by the winds of life. But Jesus makes us like the palm tree. Proverbs 10:30 says, “The righteous will never be uprooted.†While all people do wrong and none of us can be righteous, Jesus—God in flesh—came to die on the cross for us and raise from the dead so that we could “become the righteousness of God†(2 Corinthians 5:21). When we put our trust in Jesus, He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. His power holds us fast. In Him, we are “rooted and established in love†(Ephesians 3:17).

In life, there are many winds that blow against us and cause us to fear, or even to wonder if God is really good. From strained relationships, to illness in our families, to financial hardship and natural calamities…so many things cause us stress and threaten our stability. When we feel like we are being blown away by the strong winds of life, when we need an arm to lean on for support, God is there. He holds us up (Isaiah 41:10), and He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to stand firm (Ephesians 6:10-13). He also makes us part of His family, the church, so we can help hold each other steady when the winds come.

As Christians, we can be encouraged that we are deeply rooted in Christ, and we have our stability in Him. No matter how strong the winds may blow, nothing can move us from our position in Him (John 10:27-30). We will stand, and when the winds have stopped blowing, we will remain in our position in Christ Jesus (Matthew 7:24-29). • Enid Adah Nyinomujuni

• What has been causing you stress lately? Jesus invites us to bring all these things to Him in prayer. We can lay them at His feet, knowing He is big enough to take care of them all.

• What helps you when you’re stressed? Who is a trusted Christian you feel comfortable talking to about what you’re going through, such as a pastor, counselor, parent, teacher, or coach?

The righteous will never be uprooted. Proverbs 10:30a (NIV)

Read Verses:

Ps.104