Strengthened Roots

Colossians‬ 2:6-7

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Colossians‬ 2:6-7‬ NIV‬‬

You have a root in Christ, we’re rooted in Jesus. You have a strong foundation. This is your identity. This is who you are. You’re rooted and built up in Christ by nature. The fact that you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you and you are with Jesus and Jesus is with you, You’re being built up in Him.

In other words, live in this reality all day long. Let this reality transform everything you do, everything you think, everything you desire, everything you say, every decision you make, every interaction you have, do all of it in Him, Him in you with Him, Him with you. And then it’s so interesting at the end of verse seven, after talking about being rooted and built up in Christ, established in the faith just as you were taught, Paul writes, “Walk in him abounding in thanksgiving.”

So make that connection. To walk in Christ means to abound in thanksgiving. And based on that phrase, I just want to encourage you today to abound in thanksgiving, just give thanksgiving all day long to God, to Jesus and know that as you do, this is essential to experiencing what it means to walk in Him, to be rooted and built up in Him.

Amazingly, the Christian life continues the same way it begins, by faith in Jesus. Our entire lives will be successful if we live out of our union with Christ. Faith in Jesus is more like a journey than a destination. There is a day when we cross the line of faith, we put our trust in Jesus and so we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Before the day we put our faith in Jesus we are journeying towards faith in Jesus, but after that day we are journeying with Jesus. The day of our salvation therefore is not the end. It’s the end of one chapter but it’s only the beginning of our journey following Jesus for the rest of our lives.

So I urge you to follow Jesus, to keep walking with Him every day, asking Him for His direction and guidance in every situation you face, looking for Him, listening to Him. A person who’s roots are firmly secured, embedded in Jesus. Roots provide stability to withstand the storms of life, they also provide nourishment for the life of a  tree and make leaves, fruit & flowers possible.

A person who is continuously following Jesus and letting their life roots go down into Jesus will be a person who is secure and stable, a person with evident health and fruit in their lives. Who doesn’t want that? But if we continue, if we grow, if we root ourselves in this truth and make it the undergirding reality of our lives, then our future is secure and our victory assured!!!

Father thank You for this day and giving us all we need for a worthy walk in Christ. Lord help us to walk worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called and may we learn to listen to the leading of Your Holy Spirit and walk in spirit and truth, in You, all the days of our lives. Lord thank You for the simple, challenging and enduring truth of Your Lordship. Lord through Your Spirit, we pray that You will conform our lives to more closely reflect Your Lordship in our work, our family, and daily influence. Lord use my friend to be the light of Your love to those in need of it.

Father, we love You. Amen !