This year when I started to work in our rock garden, I decided to take out about half of it that had been taken over by Gooseneck Loosestrife. Doesn't the name tell you that it doesn't know how to play nice? When we moved here ten years ago, this plant was well contained and added a lot to the garden. Its white gooseneck-shaped blooms were just what was needed in this space because of a lack of other plants. Every year, these bullies have spread and spread, much to my displeasure. Last year my lilies were crowded out, Astibles were crying uncle, and the Hosta plants were fighting a battle for their lives. I googled the monsters, and one article described them as thugs and mobsters. One of the worst things about them is that they spread through a network of roots or rhizomes that never give up. Even though I pulled many plants and even dug out roots, I now see a new crop coming up. What tenacity!

As I often do, I put this scenario in the light of Scripture and found that roots are mentioned several times in the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:10a – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (NIV)

Whew! I'm glad that I don't have a lot of money! But wait! If I replaced money in that verse with other things like power, or recognition, or you name it, it can be anything that we put before the Lord in importance. I don't have to look too far to see where roots run deep and choke the life out of a happy heart.

Sometimes, dreadful things take us over like addictions, power hunger, or sin, but sometimes, it can be normally good things that become more important to us than God. God reminded me that lately, I have found myself being discontented. I look at my perfectly good furniture and want new. I love retirement, but have found myself discontented with not having enough money to do all the things that I would like to do. Because my mind is on things that I do not have, I have found myself not appreciating what I do have.

Colossians 2:6-7 – So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (NIV)

Let's look at our root system to see what is taking root in our heart. As Christians, we would do well to recognize that the physical tenacity and scope of Gooseneck Loosestrife in gardens should more than be matched and countered by the tenacity and growth of the spiritual roots of our lives in Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Thank You, God that You know that our tendency is to root ourselves in the things of this world which choke out Your will for our lives. May our roots instead grow deep and wide in Christ, more than the rhizomes of the Gooseneck Loosestrife. Strengthen us in the faith as the Bible teaches us. Amen.