November 2 Home Communicator – In my devotions the other morning, I read a story from Ann Voskamp about a Kauri tree that fell in the New Zealand Forest. As the rains fell on the fallen tree, the stump remained—looking lifeless. It was a dead, hollowed out shell of its former self. After years of remaining leafless, an ecologist spotted the stump of the Kauri tree doing the seemingly impossible—dripping sap. Dead trees don’t have sap running through them! However, the ecologist realized a miracle happened. The stump remained alive because deep underground the roots of the stump were wrapped around and connected to the roots of the other forest trees. It was a beautiful image: cut down lives can be renewed when we share our lives together!
We have the gift and the privilege of being a part of the family of God. As we are rooted in Christ and reach out and wrap our roots around those who are hurting, we help keep each other alive in the faith. This world is hard. This world can be divisive. This world has so many hurts. We can all have times that we feel like a shell of our former self or experience a feeling of great loss. When the body of Christ comes alongside one another and wraps one another up with prayers, words from Scripture, texts of encouragement, or meals—it brings hope and life.
I see the body of Christ at work at HCS in so many beautiful ways– a teacher stopping to pray with an anxious parent, a class bringing meals and snacks when a mom was in the hospital, staff members sending words of encouragement and meals after a fellow staff member’s surgery. The list could go on and on.
As Christians, we don’t do this perfectly. However, let’s continue to share with one another our joys and our struggles. Let’s join our roots underground and support those around us who are walking a challenging road! As God’s Word says, “So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Rooted in Christ together, Julie Moes – Early Childhood Director
