Wednesday, October 4, 2023
So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7
Rooted, Built Up, Established, and Flourishing
A tree that has deep roots – one that is rooted, built up, and established – is safe when the winds blow and the storms rage. Deep roots stabilize and strengthen a tree. A taproot is a primary root that grows vertically downward and gives off small lateral roots. To grow strong, roots need water, oxygen, and loose soil compaction levels low enough (or with void spaces sufficiently large enough) to allow root penetration.
Like a tree with deep roots, that is rooted, built up, and established, we can also stand firm and even flourish in life, no matter what comes our way. Paul was writing to warn the Christians in Colossae there about false teachers within their fellowship. He went on to tell them how they could guard against false teachers. Paul uses the imagery of being "rooted and built up … and established in the faith" to encourage the Colossians in his letter to them.
After we become Christians, we are set on a path of growth in our relationship with Him. To grow, we learn about Him and pray. As we learn and grow we become rooted in Him. The more we learn, the stronger our roots will be and then we will become built up, established, and even flourish. There is no flourishing without being rooted, built up, and established. In Him we are rooted and find everything we need.
Like the roots of any plant, which must be connected to a source of nourishment to grow and produce food, we also would need to be connected to the Source, the Divine Root, to gain spiritual growth. Our ability to withstand the storms depends on how deep our roots go. The fruit we bear also depends on the nourishment we fill our life with.
Being rooted, built up, and established would help the Colossians, as well as us, to guard against false teachers. It will help us to know truth and only go to Him for the nourishment we need as we are rooted in Him. Being rooted in anything else or trying to do it in our own power will leave us uprooted every time. This is also not a one-time thing. We are rooted in Him daily by drawing from our connection with Him. When we are connected to Him, we never have to worry about our nourishment running out, as Jesus is our unlimited, fully sustainable, never-ending source of strength.
Roots this deep can be generational in our families. If we want the next generation to flourish in their faith, there must be intentionality to our efforts. Are you flourishing in your faith and living it out every day so the generations that come behind you can watch and learn?
