Are you Rooted?

6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.7 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.                  (Colossians 2)

We said goodbye to an old friend this week. A tree in the front of the house didn't survive the storm.

And so, this past Saturday, I removed the tree from the garden. Remember Jesus telling a story about something along that line?

You should, I just used it in the last prayer journal.

6 Then Jesus told this story: "A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I've waited three years, and there hasn't been a single fig! Cut it down. It's just taking up space in the garden.'

8 "The gardener answered, 'Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I'll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.'"                      (Luke 13)

The truth is, a good "rooting" results in a good life. Without good roots, death ensues.

The point is, you need to ... BE ROOTED
"Let your roots grow down into him..."

 

This verb is in the past tense - that means this is something that has already happened. He's talking about that connection with Jesus Christ. That sense that you:

• Know Him.
• That He's changed you!
• And that the Christ in you is changing your corner of the world.

But there is also in this word a sense of on-going action-you were connected and continue to be connected with Jesus Christ!

When you are saved in Christ, that's not the end of what God wants for you-it's just the beginning!

Think of it like this picture of a tree. The only way a tree can grow, thrive, produce good fruit, is if it stay rooted. And in a similar way, your relationship to Jesus Christ is what roots your life. It anchors you. It feeds you. It is your source of life. Jeremiah used the same word picture. Jeremiah 17:8, [THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD] "They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."          

As long as you are rooted, connected, drawing life itself from your relationship with Jesus Christ - you will experience life. But what happens if that tree is becomes disconnected, or cut off? It dies!

Listen it so important that you understand that your life is in Jesus Christ. And I'm not just talking about having the right head knowledge:

• Jesus is God's Son.
• Born in Bethlehem.
• Died on Calvary
• Rose from the Grave
• Is coming again.

It's not about information-it's about connection. Jesus Christ longs for a relationship with you...that relationship is like a deep taproot providing the very sustenance of your life. But if you become disconnected, cut off-well, it looks something like this the first pictures I posted.

When we pulled the tree over, guess what we discovered-yep, that's right-shallow roots.

Shallow roots + big storms = death.

Pray today that you would be rooted, connected, grounded in Christ Jesus. You do that by getting in His Word, walking with Him in obedient faith, talking/learning from Him through prayer, staying connected to Him through His body and His bride ... the church.

How are your roots?