why Paul is counseling- encouraging, warning us to be watchful- to make sure we continue to

live our lives in him- because it is in our nature to turn away. Maturity takes time.

Paul then uses an image that would have been understood. “Be rooted and built up in him,

established in the faith”. Webster defines “root” as: “the underground part of a plant that holds

the plant up, draws water and nourishment; an essential or basic part or core. In music, it is the

basic or fundamental tone of a chord on which the chord is constructed. To become fixed, settled,

established.

In the seventies, there was a series on tv that caught the attention of a lot of people. It was simply

called “Roots”. It was the story of a man and who found his identity in his roots- where he and

his family had come from generations ago- . Some people study their family’s genealogy. In the

bible, we are tempted to skip over the long ancestral listing of people in the bible- but they are

roots- beginning with creation- of God breathing life into us- of God’s faithfulness when we

redeemer and sanctifier for in Him we find our identity.

way, when God’s word is planted in our hearts, it too begins to grow.As the seed begins to grow,

it sends out a sprout that will emerge into the sunshine for all to see. But at the same time,

something just as important is happening that we cannot see. A root has emerged that will go

deep into the soil to anchor the plant and gather nutrients and water for growth. There cannot be

life or growth without both a shoot and a root.

In the parable of the sower and the seed-Jesus explained that seed sown on rocky ground is like a

person who receives the word with joy and endures for a while, but when persecution or

tribulation comes on account of the word, they immediately fall away because they have no root.

How does a root grow? If you would observe a root as it grows, it would appear that the root has

a mind of it’s own- growing toward water and nutrients. But in reality, it only appears to grow

the storms of life come and philosophies and world opinions threaten to sway us, we will remain

secure and firm in our relationship with Jesus.

Our spiritual life can be threatened by the obvious much like our crops in the field. When the

weather service alerts us to the dangers of wind and hail and tornadoes, we watch the skies and

the radar and keep an ear to the weather station. And when we are threatened by trials and

persecutions for our faith- we are put on alert and watchful.

But there are other subtle dangers to the health of our faith that can go undetected- or not

recognize them as a danger.

of action of the active ingredient, the herbicide disrupts the metabolism of the plant, killing it

from within.

In our Christian faith, there are things in the world that can disrupt the life and health of our

begin to absorb the sins of the world- things that may appear innocent at first, but over time, will

Jesus who was without sin, prayed often- continually. And when the disciples saw Jesus praying-

Being rooted in Christ, all we need can be found in Jesus. We should then go to God and ask

with expectation, seek with the assurance that He will find us, knock- and fully expect that the

door will be opened and be invited in.

The gospel of John tells us: “to all who received Him, who believed in his name, he gave power

will of man, but of God.” We have been received by God and made his children by grace through

faith.

Trusting God with our whole being, we come alive- and the sprout and root emerges and a life of

growth begins.