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)
One spring, our family planted ten small seedlings around our back yard. Those little trees were about one foot tall, with one pointy root that we buried in the ground. Then we watched and waited. Know what happened? They died. I’m sorry to say it, but seven of those ten little trees were dead by the end of the summer. I remember pulling up one dead little tree, only to find that it had no roots at all. Over the course of the summer, that green leafy seedling had turned into a dead stick in the ground.
I think I know why. Can you guess? I didn’t water them enough! It was the first time we’d planted little seedlings, and I assumed that a little rain once in a while was all they needed. Not true! Without regular watering, those little trees didn’t have a chance. Their roots never grew. They died.
That’s why Paul gives us this encouragement: “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.” You and I are like those little seedlings. By the grace of God, faith in Jesus has been planted in our hearts. Our spiritual roots have been buried in the truth of God’s Word.
But that’s not the end. That’s just the beginning! Our faith can die just as quickly as those little seedlings. If we want our faith in Jesus to grow, what do we need? To hear God’s Word again and again. To receive Jesus’ body and blood in the Lord’s Supper again and again. Like a seedling craves water to send its roots down deep, we need the Means of Grace—God’s Word and Sacraments—to grow stronger roots.
Because there’s nothing better than being rooted in Christ. There’s nothing better than being built up and strengthened over and over with God’s promises. Doesn’t your heart get excited when you hear about God’s grace? Doesn’t God give us a reason to be thankful, even in the dry seasons of life?
Don’t let your roots go without water. Stayed rooted in Christ!
Dear Jesus, it’s easy to neglect my faith. It’s tempting to think that I don’t need the water of life you provide in your Word. Instead, use your Word and Sacraments to make me rooted in you. Amen.
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