We are scheduled to get one of the
large trees on our church property cut down. I wrote awhile back about how that
oak had been struck by lightning one day. We have been watching it closely
since then for any indications of stress or ill health. It hasn’t really shown
any significant signs of dying. However, what concerns us is the fact that a
few of its large roots were blown out of the ground by that powerful blast. So
we know the tree isn’t as stable as it was previously. We are afraid that it
could be more easily toppled by a strong wind. And it appears if it did fall,
it would tend to do so in the direction of our church building.
Having good, strong roots is
important, not only for plants, but for us as followers of Jesus too. The Bible
sometimes uses that concept from nature as a picture of spiritual stability.
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted
and built up in Him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:6-7). It is essential
that we put our trust in Jesus and receive Him as the One who can save us from
our sins. However, that is not the end but only the beginning. As we walk with
Him through life, we need to seek to get our roots down and become more stable
in living a Christlike life. Getting rooted is not only a matter of growing in
our knowledge about the Lord and His Word but also experiencing more of His
power working in our lives to transform us more into godly people. We need to
be rooted both in doctrine and in living out our faith. Otherwise, we will find
ourselves being easily deceived and “tossed to and fro and carried about with
every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), or experiencing getting knocked down
every time a temptation presents itself. It should not be that way. The Lord
can help us to become more established in our walk with Him.
Sometimes we can focus more on the
“building up” than we do on getting rooted and grounded. We have to be careful
that we don’t keep our relationship with the Lord on a superficial level. It
isn’t just about feeling good, having soul-stirring times of worship, and
basking in God’s love. It is also about digging deeper into our understanding
of God and His will, learning to be content no matter what our circumstances,
and standing firm in our faith in the midst of adversities and trials. Neither
is it just about looking good and big on the outside, like that tall oak tree.
It is also about having a close relationship with the Lord that runs deeper
into our hearts than what other people can see. Don’t get me wrong – it is not
either/or. We should be doing both, getting rooted and being built up in our
faith.
So how do we get our roots down?
Some of it comes over time as we walk hand-in-hand with Jesus through the
various ups and downs of life. But it doesn’t just automatically happen. We
have to cultivate that deeper relationship by studying God’s Word, spending
quality time in prayer, living in obedience to the Lord’s will, and cooperating
with the Holy Spirit as He shapes us more into the image of Jesus. We get more
rooted as we actively serve the Lord and fellowship with other believers. Even
the challenges we face in life can help us get more rooted if we face them with
faith.
Let’s not be like a large oak with
inadequate roots. Let’s become the more mature and stable followers of Jesus
who will keep standing no matter what winds blow our way.
