"Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as
you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2.7)
 |
| Photo by Bill Williams on Unsplash |
Raising plants can be really tough. They require a lot of
care and attention.
Perhaps the first need for a plant is to get it rooted. This can require good
loose soil and a root stimulator to add nutrients.
The plant also needs to be established. The early care may
include extra watering, sometimes pruning, weeding, cultivating and other considerations. It may take quite a bit of time before we can move on to the next phase.
Finally, we want our plant to flourish one
day. For a green plant, we want to see depth of color and fullness. If it’s a
fruit tree, we want to see fruit from it. If it’s a flower, we desire beautiful
blooms. Then, we hope that it will experience sustained health for it's continued progress.
Likewise, for our lives, God wants to see us:
- Rooted
- Established
- Abounding
We are rooted in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He allows
us to grow downward (rooted). A person’s depth is that aspect about them which
no one sees. Some people are not as deep in the faith as they appear, but others go deeper than it may seem. Few know what kind of prayer life we have or the time we allow God
to speak to us through his word. This is what makes one’s relationship with him
deeper.
He also wants us to grow upward (established). He says we are
to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
This stage may be more visible and allows us to connect and be a testimony to
others.
Then, God would have us flourish in our faith (abounding). He is looking
for fruit in us (John chapter 15). He wants our lives to resemble his. He wants
to see love, joy, peace and the other like traits in us (Galatians 5) and he
wants us to be involved in taking the gospel of Christ to the world.
How is thankfulness toward God a part of his work in
us? Our verse says, “abounding therein (in the faith) with thanksgiving.”
Do you sometimes feel “stuck” in your walk with God? Has your
vibrancy grown stale? Do you want your faith to abound rather than remain at a
standstill?
Once again, thanksgiving plays a major role in helping us
become an established, growing, abundant, fruitful Christian. He says we will abound
in the faith through thanksgiving.
Why don’t you and I make it a point to be actively thankful
every day, verbally expressing our appreciation to our Lord for his uncountable
blessings? Then, we will thrive in his fruitfulness.
It is sometimes difficult to keep that good feeling you get after a good Bible fellowship, a good sermon, and visitng with your brothers and sisters at church....and then comes Monday! We have to remember that the Holy Spirit doesn't wave goodbye to us at the door of the church...He is with us! We just need to remember that!
ReplyDelete