A Spectacle Of Glory #256

Read: 1 Peter 5:10

Thousands of stately old oaks grace the California coast. Oaks may not have the iconic appeal of palm trees, but their twisted branches and gnarled trunks have a rugged beauty all their own—like trees out of a fairy-tale book. Those bends and twists tell a story of countless storms sweeping in off the Pacific and pummeling those trees. When you see the massive branches, you know the roots must run deep. So it is with the way God uses suffering in our lives.

Today’s Scripture declares that after we have suffered a little while, God will make us strong, firm, and steadfast. But don’t imagine you will be deeply rooted in Christ if you never experience any storms. It is only “after you have suffered a little while” that you become strong and steady in the faith. The wild and windy trials you face today mean deeper roots and staying power in the days ahead.

I feel battered by these storms, God. Be my strength today and keep me rooted in Your love, rooted in Your Word, rooted in the confidence that You have a purpose for everything that happens in my life. I want to draw on Your life today—from the deepest roots to the tip of my branches.