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 thanksgivingColossians 2:6-7
Every form of plant-life is grounded upon its' roots. These roots extend deep into the ground, providing a firm foundation for them to stand on. Without the roots, there would be no plant, or at least, not for long. When you pluck a rose, that rose will eventually die because of its lack of roots. Roots are "the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches and fibers." They are established deeply and firmly. Without the roots attached to the rose bush, roses are just a pretty image of death. Although carrying a very beautiful outward appearance, inwardly they are dying, and it is only a matter of time before that death begins to show.
In the same way, we need The Root, The Foundation, The Establisher in our lives- and that is only found in Jesus Christ.
We need to be rooted in Jesus Christ and his teachings and walk in him, being continuously built up and established. To walk in Christ is to live a life patterned after His.
Trees don't plant themselves. Flowers don't plant themselves. Christ is the Planter. He extends grace to us, and therefore we are to honor Him. We are to have a relationship with Him. He redeems us! He is the Life-Giver, so what is holding us back from lavishing in the nourishment His roots provide?
A worldy rose shrinks, wilts, and doesnt grow. It never truly blossoms. It will not transform from a bud to a beautiful flower, because it allows sin and the world to hold it back. Are you that rose?
"A man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved"
Proverbs 12:3
Wickedness, sin, and the world do not establish you. Rather, it tears you down. It creates a downward spiral in your life, and traps you. But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.
In Psalm 1, we see the consequences of being a worldy rose. Joy and contentment in God builds our rose up, but if you associate with things that glorify sin, you will be dragged downward. If you depend on Christ in all things, and allow Him to nourish your soul, you cannot be moved. There is nothing and no one more powerful than our God! Dont let sin and the world drag your rose down!!! Stay rooted in Christ! He will build you up continually! But this requires consistent examination of our hearts and minds. And this requires you to consistently be spending time with Christ and His Word. But reading the Bible and praying must be accompanied by obedience. Reading without applying isn't glorifying God. Find joy, contentment, satisfaction, redemption, transformation, and the life-altering power of Jesus Christ, our Foundation, our Refuge, and our Strength.
Examine your rose. Are you rooted in Christ or rooted in the world? Are you being built up by Christ or torn down by the world?
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8
No comments:
Post a Comment