January 14: Insight Post by Rusty Coram
Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram
When I was building my landscape business in Texas, I spent a lot of time learning from others in the trade. One of the fundamental lessons had to do with watering both new and existing plants. Texas is notoriously dry, and there were many times when watering restrictions were mandated by local governments. To protect landscapes, it meant that my clients needed to be wise, deliberate, and careful. The rule for watering grass and plants was to water deeply and seldom. Many residential customers balked at this. Those with new irrigation systems (many of our clients had them installed) often began watering their yards a little bit every day, believing this was the best. They treated their yards like pets. Unfortunately, this actually sets their lawn and landscape up for catastrophic failure. Short and frequent watering trains plants to keep their roots shallow and close to the surface. When water restrictions or droughts come, the roots are vulnerable and burn up, killing the plants. What the plants need are watering sessions that are long enough to saturate the soil several inches deep, but only once every 5-7 days. What happens is that as the moisture evaporates, starting at the top, the plant’s roots follow it down deeper into the soil. This means the plants have a much stronger root system and are shielded from the heat near the surface.
This is what meditating on God’s word provides for us. Spending a longer time on passages that contain truth allows us to develop strong roots of faith so that when troubles, difficulties, or trials come, we are prepared to weather them and thrive. Those who are just looking for “daily blessings” from God will see their faith shrivel and die when faced with problems.
A verse that I often meditate on is Proverbs 3:5-6:
“5Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.”
During tough, trying times, this reminds me that no matter what I am facing, if I deliberately pursue God and patiently wait, He will guide me. Guaranteed.
Go deeper!
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org