Do Your Roots Run Deep?

We spent about a week in Hawaii and had a wonderful time. Boogie boarding at Pyramid Point and Waimea Bay, snorkeling, Pearl Harbor, the PCC, and other fun activities. On Sunday, we visited the "Punchbowl", a place where many people are buried and where the names of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who were never found are listed on the walls.

While at the Punchbowl, we rested underneath some enormous green giants. It was interesting to look carefully at these trees. They were massive in size and breadth. They were balanced. They were beautiful. The other thing that was clearly noticeable was the size and mass of the roots. Imagine how deep and strong the roots would have to be to sustain such a tree!

It caused me to think about my own life. How deep and strong do my roots run?

The words of Alma came to mind. In Alma 32:37 - 38 he teaches:

"And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out."

Alma goes on to say in verse 41, "But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life."

The trees in the pictures above have withstood the tremendous forces of hurricanes, heat, etc. When we examine our own personal lives, would we find deep roots required to withstand the storms that are coming?

The time has arrived and things will continue to erode spiritually. Unless we make a conscious effort to nourish the word, stay close to the spirit of the Lord, and serve him, we may be scorched and cast out. On the other hand, if we make the time to nourish the word and serve the Lord, the gospel will take root in us and the tree will spring up and we will have the blessing of partaking of its fruit.

As for me and my house, we choose to serve the Lord!