Day 12: watch out, I am rooted, not swaying…

Day 12: 7 April 2018

Introduction: Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship exercise – this was more about a soothing reassurance than anything

SONG: King of My Heart (w/ spontaneous) – Steffany Gretzinger, Jeremy Riddle, & Christine Rhee

“Let the King of my heart be the mountain where I run.”

“The fountain I drink from, the shadow where I hide, the ransom for my life, for you are good.”

“You’re never going to let me down.”

“Let the King of my heart be the wind inside my sails, the anchor of my waves, you are good”

When things are NOT going good, YOU are good. When things ARE going good, YOU are good. YOU are always good. You are awesome, always.

“You’re never going to let me down, it is not in your nature.”

Wow, it truly is not in your nature. Your promises through scripture back that one up through and through.

“You will never fall off of your throne.”

“God you are so good to me.” — God is bigger than our reality.

Step 1: Gather

The song, King of My Heart, helped to calm my stormy spirit this morning.

“A tree with strong roots laughs at storms.” ~ Malay proverb

That saying caught my eye first thing this morning. I absolutely love trees. I love the idea of the manure it takes to fertilize the hardiest of trees, making them have strong deep roots.

As humans, we all have had manure in our lives, which can allow us to have stronger roots.

I love watching trees and how they react to the elements of earth and mankind. The trees with strong roots actually do laugh at storms. I have seen it. They actually seem to stand taller and mightier when storms roll through. Their leaves twinkle with laughter at the thought of elements trying to take them out.

The elements and mankind may take out a limb, maybe even a full branch. A tree deeply rooted can even be destroyed down to the earth. But the seasons give restoration as new growth rises above.

What does God have to say about “roots”

“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.” ~ Job 14:7-9 NIV

 

“Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.’” ~ Matthew 13:3-6 NIV

 

“He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ^‘Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.’” ~ Mark 4:2-6 NIV

 

“’Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them.’”  ~ Malachi 4:1 NIV

 

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”  ~ Isaiah 11:1 NIV

 

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”  ~ Revelation 22:16 NIV

 

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”  ~ Isaiah 53:1-3 NIV

 

“But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth.’”  ~ Jeremiah 45:4 NIV

This barely skimmed the surface of what God has to say about “roots.”

God, not man, is in control of his creation, from the beginning to the end, through all eternity. Done deal, end of story.

Step 2: Focused Reflection

Rest in knowledge of who God is. “He IS” was my phrase I used on the drive home from the emergency that saved my life. He IS, is as true today as it was on the emergency days. Rest in his love and care. Let his light shine on me, not the darkness of evil.

Step 3: Journal

My toxic thought today is: My abandonment issues send me swaying in the wind at times because I cannot get a grip on the roots grounded in Christ.

That was even hard to write. My roots are grounded in Christ, so what ridiculous unjustified thinking. Yet, I allowed it to come and go for the last 2 days. That toxic thought has got to go.

Step 4: Revisit

My core issue of abandonment is completely justified by events since the beginning of my days. I could choose to be angry and bitter and mad at the world. That is not what I have chosen.  Regardless of any human’s opinion or actions, I have great value in the eyes of my Creator. If it took all of this to get me to see that I am loved and worthy, then so-be-it.

Step 5: Active Reach    

Decision:

No more allowing others to create the havoc that I sometimes allow. It is only hot air, wind. It is okay to sway a bit, with deep roots in Christ. Don’t let the sway be from another’s actions or inactions. Let the sway be like a John Wayne swagger, unique only to him.

Get wet from the storm but don’t let it rot the life inside of me. Soak in the glory of God.

Action:

STOP looking at myself through the eyes of others. ONLY look at myself through the eyes of my Creator.

May ALL of you see yourself through the eyes of your loving Creator,

Maribeth Baxter, MBEC (Certified Mind-Body Eating Coach)

Dig Deeper – Grow More

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