The root and the waters.
I. THE TREE FLOURISHES THROUGH ITS ROOT.
1. The root supports the tree. It is the foundation. Unless the root is deep and strong the tree will fall, blown over by the hurricane or swept away by the flood. Our life needs a root, a foundation.
2. The root brings nourishment to the tree. It sucks in moisture from the earth and draws the rich juices of the soil up into the plant. When the roots are cut the tree must wither and die. The child's Christmas-tree looks green for the short season of festivities, but according to a common custom, being cut off without a proper root, it cannot live. There are souls that have no root in themselves (Matthew 13:21). They can only endure for a while. We must find supplies of spiritual nourishment if we are to persevere unto everlasting life.
3. The root lies low. The lordly branches of the cedar wave in the air and toss themselves proudly against the sky, but they could not thus thrive without the lowly root. Souls thrive on their humbler experiences. They grow strong in humility and trust.
4. The root is unseen. It lies in dark underground regions. He is but a shallow being whose every experience lies on the surface. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him" (Psalms 25:14). The tree will die if the root be laid bare to the sun. Spiritual experience should be decently covered, not dragged to the light and made a matter of common talk. Let the leaves and fruit be seen; keep the root in the dark.
5. The root must press down to deep sources of supply. If the water be far from the surface, the root must go after it. "The well is deep" (John 4:11); then the water will be all the more cool and refreshing. It is good to press down to the deeper experiences of the Christian life.
II. THE ROOT NEEDS GOOD SUPPLIES OF WATER.
1. It needs water. Trees will not grow on the Sahara Desert. But a little moisture will bring vegetation. On the rare occasion of rain falling in the desert a sudden greenness appears on the sand; but the minute vegetable growth disappears as quickly as it comes, for the moisture rapidly evaporates in the heated air. Souls need the living waters. They need these waters because, like trees, they are alive. The statue does not droop in the noonday sun, because it is of stone, dead stone. There are statuesque souls that seem to thrive without any spiritual supplies, but they have no vitality in them. They are too stolid to faint. Fiery souls pine and wither when deprived of living water.
2. It must be within reach of water. It is nearly useless for the water to fall on the leaves if the root is not reached, but when the root is in moisture, though the leaves are covered with dust and sadly need cleansing showers, the tree will still live. We can bear heat and drought in the world if the soul's hidden roots are supplied by Divine grace. But we do not merely require superficial refreshment; we need such deep soul-supplies as shall penetrate to the roots of our being. For this purpose the roots must be near the water. Cattle can go down to the brooks and drink, but trees must be planted in moist soil. It is customary in the East to cut channels for water deflected from larger streams, that this may run among the roots of trees. The best trees grow by rivers of water (Psalms 1:3). Souls must be within reach of Divine supplies. It is not sufficient that God is gracious and that Christ can give of the water of life. We must be near the water ourselves. There must be personal appropriation. This is only possible by means of that spiritual neighborhood which is sympathy. The use of "means of grace"—prayers, Christian fellowship, meditation on Scripture, etc.—helps to rouse that sympathy, and so to bring the roots near to the great waters.