It’s hurricane season where I live. Last week a hurricane make landfall in our town in the middle of the night. It’s a little unsettling not knowing what the damage will look like in the light of morning. This wasn’t a very strong storm but among the debris of palms and tree limbs I did see a few trees entirely uprooted, trunk laying on the ground with the root system completely exposed. Storms have a way of unearthing things don’t they? I noticed that compared to the size of the tree the roots looked so small and shallow. It reminded me how vital our roots are as followers of Christ. How important it is to be firmly established in the truth of God’s love so that we have faith that is strong to withstand the storms of life. Colossians 2:6-7 says “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 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.” Especially in these days we need a strong faith to live and love like Jesus.
So how do our roots grow deep in the Lord? By spending time with Jesus. Just like a tree’s roots grow hidden in the soil, our roots grow in the hidden places of our heart as we spend intentional time alone with our Savior. As we seek to know Him through the Word, to hear from Him through the Holy Spirit and trust Him with the big and small parts of our life.
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Ephesians 3:16-19