I thought it might be time for another poem. I think all authors, even would-be ones, have a work that is special to them. This is one of my favorites. It is called, “The Mighty Oak”. *
Outside my window The grand old oak Stood fast against the storm His branches stretched His muscles flexed Declared, “I will fear no harm” The howling gales And relentless rain Pounded the oak all night But the dawning day Had much to say About the brave oak’s fight Oh, some leaves were lost And twigs were snapped And a branch lay on the ground But the faithful oak Remained unmoved Still standing strong and sound You see, his roots Were sturdy They made his anchor sure They spread wide And very deep And kept the oak secure We must be like the mighty oak With our roots Spread deep and wide Unmovable from The truth we know God’s Word, which is our guide For storms will come And storms will go But our strength is from the Lord And when we trust In Him alone Our anchor shall be sure So boldly stand Like the mighty oak Fearing not what comes your way For God’s Word Is a firm support To strengthen you every day*
Oak trees have long symbolized fortitude because of their resilience. They are known for their strength and longevity. Oak wood is prized for its robust durability and the beauty of its grain. In certain cultures, oak leaves and acorns were woven into crowns to reward courage and valor. Like many other elements in nature, the oak speaks to our hearts. The qualities that it exhibits are good qualities for us to emulate.
Fortitude is defined as, “strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage”. Resilience as, “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change”. *
There is no doubt that we encounter negative situations in our lives from time to time in varying degrees of severity. We are not robots, so of course, these situations affect us. But we can face these times with courage. And the greatest courage I know comes from relying on God. Consider this; the Bible says that God IS love (1 John 4:8 and 16). Now, if God is so full of love that He IS love, would He want any harm to come to the ones He loves? Of course not! So I think it is safe to say that God always wants to help us when we face any kind of trouble. And since God is all powerful, there is no trouble that He can’t handle!
Even though we try to keep our confidence steadfastly in God, we get knocked down sometimes. We get thrown for a loop by overwhelming circumstances, or by a multitude of annoying ones. Then fear can creep in. But we can recover! Champions are not people who never fall, they are the ones who keep getting back up. With God on our side, we can be champions.
An oak tree has an extensive root system. Its roots can spread out 3 to 7 times the diameter of its canopy. This root system keeps the tree stable and fed. When the roots of our thoughts are firmly grounded in God’s Word, we will have solid stability and proper nutrition. Sending our ‘thought-roots’ into any other ‘soil’, might keep us upright, but we will be weakened and malnourished.
Another feature of the oak is the durability of its wood. Durability is defined as “able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration in quality or value”. God’s Word certainly keeps us durable. What could be more long-lasting than the eternal life spirit that dwells in us? Our flesh might fade day by day, but our spirit never diminishes. It is as strong today as it was on the day we got it. And in God’s eyes, our value never deteriorates.
Furthermore, oak wood is considered beautiful. One of the factors of its beauty is its distinctive grain, which gives the wood its character. Similarly, our character shows on our faces. Each one of us is unique and precious to God. Let’s show the world the character that God sees in us. The beautiful child that God calls His own should be as evident and recognizable on your face as the grain is on oak’s wood!
There will always be storms (both literal and figurative) that blow into our lives at times. Sometimes these storms cause only minor inconveniences and sometimes they are devasting. We can’t prevent all the storms from coming, but we, like the mighty oak, can be securely anchored to withstand them. We can face every storm with courage by relying on God’s strength. If we get knocked down, we can recover by reaching for God’s hand. And the beauty of Christ in us can shine through the darkest clouds when we are rooted and grounded in God’s love. When we stand fast like the mighty oak, we too can declare, “I will fear no harm.”
Note to my readers: You are mightier than the oak! Wear your crown of oak leaves with confidence. You are God’s best. Thanks for reading.
* The Mighty Oak is the personal property of Terri E. Lee
* All definitions quoted are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary