It’s the month of November, the month of my son’s favorite of all holidays – Thanksgiving. All month I have been trying to stay focused on gratitude and giving thanks. It’s funny how once I started, I began seeing connections through a fresh lens.
“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 thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:7, NLT)
Working this backwards, I realized if I want to overflow with thanksgiving, then my faith needs to grow. For my faith to grow, my life needs to be built on Him. And for that to occur, I need my roots to grow deep. So why all this talk about roots? Through wikipedia.com, I learned four reasons our roots matter:
- It is the means by which water is absorbed. As our roots go deep in Him, we are promised, “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14, NIV).
- It is the means by which we are anchored to the ground and supported. “Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls” (Hebrews 6:18-19, NLT)
- It is the storage place of food and nutrients. “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight”
(Jeremiah 15:16, NLT) - It is the means by which fruit is produced. “But they [those with deep roots] are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:3, NLT)
Root development is important so that faith and gratitude will flourish in our lives. “Paul uses thankfulness as a litmus test of Christian health.” (New American Commentary, Volume 32, page 248). Deep roots of faith are evidenced by gratitude for all God has done and continues to do for us each day.
Today I am joining … Tell His Story and Wedded Wed. and Works For Me and Coffee & Conversation and Wed. Prayer Girls and A Little R & R .
“with my roots deep in you I grow the branch that bears the fruit.” Christy Nockels…..I love roots and it is a true picture to me …God cares that we are rooted in him…it is only when we are rooted in Him that we can produce any fruit. So glad im neighbors with you at Tell His Story!
I so love that song!!! May both our roots go deep so that we bear fruit the coming Advent which blesses many! Thank you for stopping & sharing!
Your words reminded me of Isaiah 11:1 “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot”” a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” The precious promise of Jesus and yes, all that we have to be thankful for in Him and all he has done. Thank you for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Seeing the mention of Isaiah 11:1 so surprised me as this verse has been in my thoughts for several days now. So grateful you shared with me here. You have no idea! Blessings!