Let us be rooted in Jesus!

 

I like comparing different versions of a verse, such as this one, from Colossians 2:7, here’s the ESV version, “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

‭‭But I really like how the NLT words it,  “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

• That little word “let” really takes on meaning for me, which begs the question, am I letting my roots grow down into Jesus? Am I letting my life be built on Him? 
• And what does it mean to be rooted? What does this look like in my daily life? What does it mean to be “built on Him”? So that my faith will grow strong? 
• Let’s look at rooted and established. In the past, Danny and I have tried our hands at gardening. One year, I remember, the broccoli plants looked really scrawny. The broccoli heads produced were small, the plants never really took off. When I got what I wanted from the plants I went ahead and pulled them up. The roots were all on the surface, they didn’t seem to go down into the soil, it was super easy to pull them up, like the plants were never “established” in the soil. Made me think of the Parable of the Sower, in Matthew 13.  Where Jesus described what happens to seed that falls on rocky ground. “Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.”
• How do I respond when troubles come my way? Or the challenges of life? Do I run for cover or find a quick way out? Or, if I am rooted and established in my faith, do I instead trust in the Lord and in His promises? Do I remember Psalms such as, 46:1 and claim its promise, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Do I remind myself that He has promised to never leave me or forsake me? (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5) And that there is nowhere I can go where He is not! (Psalm 139:7-11). When difficulties arise, and they will, can I learn to seek the lesson or lessons, the Lord may be trying to teach me? Can I remind myself of what Chuck Swindoll has said in a devotional I had, “I am here by God’s appointment; I am in His keeping; I am under His training; He will show me His purposes in His time”? 
• Next, are we building our life, our foundation on Christ? What does that look like? It sounds to me like there is work for us all to do, so that our roots do grow down deep and help us to be strong in our faith. This verse also reminds me of Philippians 2:12..."work out your salvation"…it's a daily choice, an ongoing process, to choose to follow and serve the Lord. To continue to grow in our relationship with Him through studying and meditating on the Scriptures, applying what we learn and being thankful for the lessons He teaches, even the difficult ones!
• I may not be able to say with confidence that, yes I am “firmly rooted and built up in Christ”, but I know it’s a process and God isn’t finished with me yet🙂 as  Philippians 1:6 (NIV) reminds me, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

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