Root and Fruit!

Root and Fruit!

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 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. Colossians 2:6‭-‬7 NLT

The fundamental starting point: have I accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, not as anything else? He's so many things: healer, provider, refuge, fortress, high tower, but the most important is Saviour and Lord. Every other thing is an offshoot of his Lordship and authority. I may get all the other things, but what's the point of getting so many external comforts, when the most important of it all- the inner presence, is not sorted out? Why settle only for the earthly manifestation of God's gifts of mercy and end up under judgment for rejecting the actual source of mercy Himself?

Flowing from that is the grace to continue to follow the One I have submitted to. Nowhere does God say it is enough to submit; I must live out that submission in my daily life. My daily life is the outward display of my inner content; if God lives inside, then the outside will definitely reflect  that. If what my life produces does not show off God, it does not matter what I tell myself. How do I ensure that the inner is right: my roots have to go deep in Him. That I can only achieve by a daily search of Him and daily relationship with Him. Rooting takes time; in fact, the strength of the stem is usually determined by how deep the roots go.

When the rooting is assured, fruiting is non- negotiable. Storms will come and the winds will blow. Your faith will be challenged and the basis of your decision will be questioned. If you were never sure, most likely, you will never stand. If you are sure of who you are and on who you are founded on, then your life will overflow with the abundance of the natural output of your life's contents. It is expected that if I have spent time learning about God and putting His Word into practice in my life, then the natural outflow will be thanksgiving.

What are you founded on? Don't be content with what people say; be very sure of your foundation. It is the only thing that will help you stand the tests that are coming. His time of favour is here.