Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
I've always wondered how men and women of God have walked faithfully with the Lord for 40 or 50 years. I hear these testimonies of believers who have finished their race well. I mean, they serve the Lord for years, and they kept their eyes on the Lord, and I've always asked myself, how do they do that?
Because as a believer, as a minister, I want to finish my race well. I want to be that minister that serves Jesus faithfully for 40, 50, 60 years—however many years I have. In our verse today, in Colossians chapter 2, verse 7, Paul gives us some insight.
He says, "Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
Steps to Developing Deep Roots
If you and I want to develop deep roots, I think there are a few steps that we need to take.
Number one, we need to be attached to Jesus. Our foundation has to be on the Lord Jesus Christ. That means when I say yes to the Lord, now I am building on a firm foundation. I'm not living my life based on man's opinion. Culture is not going to define me. I am following the Lord Jesus.
That means if I'm going to have deep roots, I'm going to value what God's Word says, and I'm going to build my life on the Word of God. Culture will always change. People's opinions will always change, but the Word of God remains.
Planted by Living Water
The Bible tells us in Psalm chapter 1 that those who meditate on the Word of God, they are like trees that are planted—not potted, planted—by streams of living water. I don't know about you, but I want deep roots. In order for me to have deep roots, I have to meditate on the Word of God.
When I meditate, I'm like that tree that's planted by streams of water. When the storms come, I'm not going to get knocked down because my roots are deep.
The Importance of Community
Now, make no mistake, developing deep roots takes time. It takes going to church and getting in a small group. It takes cultivating a prayer life. It takes discipline.
I remember when I joined a men's group and I would read something in the Bible, and then I'd bring it to the men's group, and very often I was corrected. I thought I understood a certain passage correctly, and then I would bring it to my small group. They'd say, "Actually, you're off." It's humbling. But as I was corrected and as I was open to feedback, my roots were growing deeper and deeper.
I think one of the reasons people don't have deep roots is because they don't have community that speaks into their lives. When they don't understand something, for example, that they read in the Bible, they don't have anybody to correct them.
The Path Forward
If you and I want deep roots, we need to abide in Jesus. It starts with having a personal relationship with Jesus. Then we need to build our lives on the Word of God. We need to get in community because that's where all the feedback is, and be open to correction. Remember, correction is not rejection.
We have to be open and say, "Okay, I'm giving you permission to speak into my life because I want my roots to grow deep in the Lord."
