Trees are just so beautiful at this time of year. As we move into autumn, they are slowly turning into a beautiful cascade of yellow, orange and red colours. In sunlight they sparkle like diamonds. Their beauty pulls you in and it is all part of the cycle of nature, letting go, regenerating and then new beginnings again in the spring.

We sometimes forget about the roots of a tree, mainly because they are not visible. For a tree to flourish its root system must go down and out to collect nutrients for survival. Trees remind us to stand tall and to be proud of who we are. They remind us to stay grounded. They remind us to connect with our own roots and to connect with what nourishes us spiritually. Trees remind us to turn over a new leaf when the time is right. Trees remind us to bend and yield and to be flexible, when to stay rigid could cause us to break.

St Paul sometimes uses language that is difficult to understand or interpret. But I like the comparison that he uses to compare Jesus to the roots of a tree. He encourages us to put our roots in him, not just shallow ones, but deep meaningful roots that spread out to collect as much nutrients as possible. It is so important to nourish our spirit/soul and it does require a root system that is as strong as it can be.

The invitation each day is to let those roots go deep, to build our lives on what is good and strong and to notice the difference this can make. A tree lets go of its leaves in autumn because it has to adapt to less light and possible harsh cold weather ahead. To survive its leaves must go, but it’s root system remains and will be active all year round. Our spiritual root system may not be visible, but it is a vital connection to sustain us through each day and in particular during the difficult and challenging days.


Thought For The Week is updated each Monday