Encouraged to have Strong, Spiritual Roots
Key Verse to Read and Treasure:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)
For Insight:
At times my husband and I will receive something in the mail that looks like a good deal. Maybe it’s something we think we want to try or switch over to. We’ll talk it over and if the offer appears interesting enough, I’ll take time to do the research and investigate it fully to see whether it’s true or not before adding it to our file or pursuing it further. There are so many scams it’s hard to tell if something is real or false without looking into it thoroughly.
Whatever false teachings had infiltrated the Colossian Church it wasn’t the teachings of Jesus Christ. As new believers they were more vulnerable than they realized, and Paul used his letter to help them see what was happening. He warned them not to be taken captive by empty philosophies and deceit—such as human traditions—which could give them a false sense of spiritual wellbeing or being well grounded in their faith (2:8-9). Paul urged them to hold fast to what they had learned and understood. The only way they could stay on the right path was to continue in their faith so they could become strong and firm in that faith.
Paul was a good spiritual mentor to those still strengthening their “faith-legs”. His gift of spiritual discernment told him how well grounded his sons and daughters in the faith were. In one letter to the young pastor Timothy, Paul reminded him that he knew Timothy had come from a strong spiritual background and had faithful examples. That he had been rooted in the faith by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Tim. 1:5).
Our need to be rooted and firmly established in our Christian faith does not end once we have been a Christian for years or even decades. It’s an ongoing process. We never become too old or too seasoned in our faith to stop attending Bible Studies or spending quality time in God’s Word. There is always something new for us to learn and always a need for our understanding to deepen and expand.
If we are a branch on Jesus’ Vine, then we are in an ongoing spiritual journey that will not end until we close our eyes on earth. David was seasoned and firmly rooted in the Lord, but he continued to hunger and thirst after God, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Ps. 63:1). David did not want to be away from God for one moment. When he was in an isolated place or hiding out from enemies he longed for God. David had worship, the books of Wisdom, the writings of the Prophets and Moses and a writer of Psalms, yet he still longed for God; he could not get enough of God. We can only imagine if David had lived on our side of the Old Testament and had at his disposal the New Testament also.
The firmly established and well rooted branch in Jesus is constantly feeding from the Vine. Researching the Word of God, meditating on what our Lord has to say in his word. The rooted, and firmly established branch does not die on the Vine. He or she is a thriving branch bearing fruit that comes from a living, ongoing relationship with Christ.
When we have strong roots and are firmly established in our faith we can survive any difficulty, any challenge, any trial that comes upon us. Rooted and built up in Jesus we do not fall for the schemes of the enemy meant to pull us away from the One True God and Lord, and we do not fall away from our faith.
Jesus, our desire is to be firmly rooted, well-grounded, and established in you. In that case we will continue in what we have been taught and strengthen our roots up until the time you return to take us home. Amen
Ask Yourself
Am I diligent to continue my path of becoming firmly rooted and established in the faith? What am I doing presently to fatten and nourish my soul?
For more devotions visit: http://www.devotionallyyours.com
devotionallyyours.org 