Being Rooted

I got to plant something in the garden for the first time ever. I was excited and hopeful to see the outcome of my hard work. Soon the weeds started growing, some small and some big, and there I was uprooting and digging the weeds out. Some of the weeds had deep roots and some had shallow roots. The deeper the roots the stronger the weeds were and the harder to uproot. I started learning more about plants and their root systems.

In most plants, the root system is a below- ground structure that serves primarily to anchor the plant in the soil and take up water and minerals. Roots may be a less familiar sight to us than the more visible flowers, stems, and leaves, but they’re no less important for the plant.

The growth and branches of a plant will only be as healthy as its roots are strong and deep. A palm tree can grow in desert conditions. In the drought everything around the palm tree will dry up and die, but the tree will continue to grow. This is because it has a long tap-root that goes deep into the ground and finds the water beneath the surface. The deeper the roots go, the more the plants grow healthy and strong. The plant is fed by the rich minerals deep in the soil.

So it is with us as Christians. Many passages speak of the importance of God’s people building healthy a ‘root system’; for instance Psalm 1; Colossians 1:6-8; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Ephesians 3:16-19; and John 15:4-5.They all teach us we must let what’s in our head sink into our spirit. Most people know in their heads about God’s unconditional love, but they can’t tap into that love, as their root system is not deep enough. They remain in the place where their knowledge of God’s love doesn’t sink in into their spirit, and so they have an inability to feed from that truth and grow .

Relationships take a long time to form and grow. They need communication, support, encouragement and trust. The way to deepen our roots is to strengthen our relationship with the Lord, through meditation of Scripture, communion with Him, and trusting Him. As we develop in disciplining ourselves in our daily walk with Him, We grow into Him, and into His love, and draw strength from Him. We become anchored and strong on the inside.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please help me to invest my time into my relationship with You. I want to grow deeper in You. You’re the source of my strength and ability to walk my journey of faith. Help me to believe in Your Word and let Your Word transform me from the inside, in Jesus’ name, Amen.