UPROOTED

After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

JOB 42:10

The tall, strong tree growing along the riverbank looks sturdy. We imagine the roots spreading out, giving a firm foundation. It looks like the tree will remain standing for many years to come. Then, a fast snowmelt or a heavy rain leads to a flood. The bank is undercut, and the tree falls into the water and washes downstream. It may get wedged against the bank and form a bridge or logjam, or just a small diversion of the stream. Fish and other aquatic creatures enjoy the shade and the quiet pool that is formed.

If the tree is carried all the way to the mouth of the river where it empties into a lake or the ocean, it may float for a long time before washing up on the shore and becoming driftwood. Many artists prize this washed wood. The bark and most of the limbs have usually been beaten off during the journey, and the log may have been naturally sanded into strange shapes. The wood can be used in a fire pit on the beach, where friends and family can enjoy cooking, warmth, and fellowship. Other driftwood protects a portion of the beach, gives shore birds a place to perch, or simply adds beauty to the scene.

We too can find that our life, which seems stable and strong, may be suddenly uprooted. We may have to leave our familiar, comfortable surroundings and be thrust into uncertainty. Perhaps we end up far away from where we thought we were putting down roots. Life has changed.

While we sometimes have no control over events in our life, we can usually choose how to respond to them. We have the option of looking for ways to grow and improve. Although the trials and the turmoil are real and may be sorrowful, the restoration can be joyful. Eventually, like Job, we may find ourselves doing even better than before. When we look back later, we may be amazed and grateful to see how God used the upheaval on our journey for His glory and for our good.