We talk about getting to the root of a problem. We say storms uproot trees. With our mobile society, we talk about staying put—putting down roots.

Who is your root? Have you gotten to the root of your problems? Will the storms of life uproot you and destroy you? Do you have a deep, strong taproot? Notice Revelation 22:16: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."

Jesus Christ must be our taproot, running down deep and strong into the ground, holding us fast through life's troubles and storms.

Matthew 13:21 warns about not having roots: "Yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while."

Notice this deeper meaning: We do not have this root IN us. No matter who we are in the Church, no matter what our responsibility, we must have Jesus Christ as our taproot. If He is not, when life's storms rise to assail us, we will be blown away.

A recent experience illustrated this to me. Some Church friends arrived home late one night to find a tree toppled on their street. An orange traffic cone stood by the hole where the tree had been.
This was caused by a unique weather phenomenon called a microburst. Tremendous torrents of wind come virtually out of nowhere to wreak devastation.

This particular tree was a 50- to 60-year-old cottonwood. Cottonwoods are majestic trees with thick trunks and large canopies of leaves. They look like the epitome of strength. Yet storms blow cottonwoods over all the time. Why? When I moved the orange cone and pushed aside the dirt to peer into the hole, I found no taproot.

There is a lesson God wants us to learn. No matter our age, position or appearance, each of us is vulnerable. While we can put down some roots, they can be shallow and in thin soil. These roots can branch into bitterness and other bad soil. We simply do NOT have this taproot in ourselves.

One day, a great storm will arise. Only with God's help will we be able to stand, as Ephesians 6 says. Matthew 7 instructs us to build on the Rock to withstand the storm: our little rootlets must be intertwined with the taproot wound around the Rock. Otherwise, the storm will uproot us.

If we remember the admonition in Ephesians 3:17—"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love"—then we will stay close to the trunk (and the root) of the tree of life.

We can get to the root of our problems. We will keep our roots in the Bible, in prayer and faithful church attendance.

And when life's storms and Satan's stirrings erupt, we won't be uprooted. For our rootlets will be enmeshed and entangled around the taproot, wrapped around the Rock—Jesus Christ.