Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
I am not a gardener, my thumbs are more brown than green, and yet, the image that comes to mind when I read the verses above is that of a plant. For a plant to thrive, it needs strong roots in good soil. My faith is equivalent to the roots of a plant. Jesus is my soil. Time, prayer, praise, trials–they all lead my faith roots to grow longer, stronger, deeper within the soil of Christ.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
“Overflowing with thankfulness” makes me think of blooms on a plant–the joy, the thankfulness,–overflowing, bursting from the inside out, sometimes a riot of color, sometimes a quiet little pop of joy, always a beautiful miracle, always a blessing.
Colossians 2:13-14 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Lord, Some days are just hard. Help me remember, even on the hard days, that I am rooted and built up in You, that I am strengthened in faith. Help me to always overflow with thankfulness–not because of my circumstances but because of Your great love, mercy, and compassion. I am not worthy, but I am so very thankful. Amen.
Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Have a blessed day.
Yesterday, I read this devotion and had many thoughts, but I did not respond. It was a particularly “upside down” day. What I thought I was supposed to do, I did not and could not do. God had to take me on a long drive to watch the last portion of a soccer game to help me reset things. Interestingly, HE intertwined “strong roots and good soil” in what played on the radio. When I think of strong roots and good soil, my mind goes immediately to my grandparents and Auntie and Uncle (my third set of grandparents). All of which were great gardeners who had such beautiful hearts for the LORD. I loved following the tractor as Uncle plowed potatoes. I can still feel the dirt between my toes. I can still smell the dirt from Uncle and Auntie’s garden. It was great soil. But I also know that great soil of their garden did not just happen. It represented their walk with the LORD. How many many times I sat with them as the read and studied their Bibles. Everything they did was rooted in HIS Word. Uncle always said that gardening was prayer. You are no closer to God than when you are in the garden. He was the dearest man I have ever known. His walk shaped my own. I would like to think that I carry pieces of him (and them) through life. God continues to use their walks as reminders of what good soil and strong roots “look, feel and smell” like.