Roots and all

Putting down roots stays on my mind, though I've -- like Isaiah -- said, "Here I am Lord, send me." I was wondering just where we're going to live when this grand adventure is complete. At least we have options, perhaps.

The Israelites that Isaiah wrote to, those who would be wrenched out of their land, out of their homes for 70 years to Babylon, did not. So when Isaiah wrote about putting down roots, imagine what that would have felt like to those persons.

"The days are coming when Jacob shall put down roots, Israel blossom and grow fresh branches, and fill the world with its fruit."

That happened years and years later when Jesus was born. The country, ruled by Rome though it was, still had fashioned itself into a land. Then Jesus came, the world would be conquered and those fresh branches that grew were all the ones who fell deeply in love with a man they had never met.

The country of Israel still is a mostly lush land with vineyard's galore. A year ago today I prepared to leave after a 10-day visit that I so dearly hope to repeat before I pass into that good land beyond. I feel as one of those branches, so wonderfully grafted into the vine.

Jesus spoke of this when he said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

I woke early today, back screaming for me to get up and face the day, one last day before it freezes again, and I thought about those roots and I thought about who supplies the entire root system and I asked God to put someone again in my life that I could help today. Let Jesus be the one who helps us, my friends. We are nothing without him. Nothing at all. I proved that for more than 40 years.