November 24, 2015
Faith & Roses
Colossians 2:7
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.
This passage uses an analogy of roots of a plant or tree to describe what our hearts are like. What we focus on establishes what we think about and how we behave, sustaining us the way roots support plant life. Have you ever pulled up a plant that has been firmly established in the ground for years? It’s not easy. We had roses in our front yard in a planter for years and one day decided to replace them with something else. Impossible! We got the roses out with some of the roots, but the vast, thick, durable and strong underground root system remained. We were cutting them out for days, and some will just have to stay down there; there’s too many roots.
I like this analogy. I want my faith to reflect this kind of system. I want to effortlessly overflow with thankfulness as a result of willingly, deeply, and sincerely following Jesus. Jesus said that the seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation (Luke 8:13).
I’m glad that believing and following for a long time results in strong faith. I’m glad that God grows huge amounts of faith over time from just tiny, accumulating bits (Matthew 17:20), and strong faith and thankfulness is the result! I want to be stubborn about the things of God like deep, established roots. I don’t want anyone or anything to be able to pull me away from following Jesus, trusting him, and being thankful for my salvation. Just like the rosebush roots in my front planter, I want Jesus with me forever!
Dear Lord Jesus,
I am so thankful for all you have done! Thank you for your Word and that daily study and prayer time result in a thankful heart no matter what circumstances I may face today. You are great and greatly to be praised. I love you so much, and I just can’t thank you enough. And I pray in your name, amen.
Faith & Roses
Colossians 2:7
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.
This passage uses an analogy of roots of a plant or tree to describe what our hearts are like. What we focus on establishes what we think about and how we behave, sustaining us the way roots support plant life. Have you ever pulled up a plant that has been firmly established in the ground for years? It’s not easy. We had roses in our front yard in a planter for years and one day decided to replace them with something else. Impossible! We got the roses out with some of the roots, but the vast, thick, durable and strong underground root system remained. We were cutting them out for days, and some will just have to stay down there; there’s too many roots.
I like this analogy. I want my faith to reflect this kind of system. I want to effortlessly overflow with thankfulness as a result of willingly, deeply, and sincerely following Jesus. Jesus said that the seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation (Luke 8:13).
I’m glad that believing and following for a long time results in strong faith. I’m glad that God grows huge amounts of faith over time from just tiny, accumulating bits (Matthew 17:20), and strong faith and thankfulness is the result! I want to be stubborn about the things of God like deep, established roots. I don’t want anyone or anything to be able to pull me away from following Jesus, trusting him, and being thankful for my salvation. Just like the rosebush roots in my front planter, I want Jesus with me forever!
Dear Lord Jesus,
I am so thankful for all you have done! Thank you for your Word and that daily study and prayer time result in a thankful heart no matter what circumstances I may face today. You are great and greatly to be praised. I love you so much, and I just can’t thank you enough. And I pray in your name, amen.
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