Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all He has done.
Colossians 2:7 TLB
If you have ever had a garden, or if you have grown a tomato plant, for the first time, you may notice how seemingly slow the plants can grow. A first-time Gardner may be eagerly watching this plant daily, looking for new shoots and excited with each new sprout. In some seasons of this plant’s life cycle, this new Gardner may be a little frustrated when the plant goes days without a new sprout and shows no sign of growth. However, after a season or two of growing tomato plants, he understands the importance of root health.
Isaiah 63:1 says that we are the plantings of the Lord that He may be glorified. This simply means that as the plant prospers, He is glorified. Our God is a skilled Gardner and has planted many trees of righteousness throughout the ages, many of whom we can see in Hebrews 11. For a tree to effectively draw nutrients for its survival, it must have healthy roots. The beauty of the foliages and the size and nutritional value of the fruits are dependent on the roots’ ability to draw up nutrients. The root also enables a tree to withstand the toughest of storms. Often times we are like the new Gardner, celebrating wins and spiritual successes that we can see and mourning when we do not see any sign of growth. Worse, some believers mark spiritual growth by the activities and giftings a person has. Although these are good signs of growth, Jesus spoke of men in Matthew 7:21-23, who did magnificent works in His name that He would tell at the end, I do not know you.
If this is the case, what does it mean to grow spiritually?
Paul says in Ephesians 4:17 that we grow up into Jesus. This means the measurement of our growth is based on how dependent we are on Jesus, on how much of Him we really know. In Colossians 2:7, Paul goes on to say that as we are established in our faith and in the knowledge of the truth, we grow. We become strong and vigorous in the truth we have been taught as we sit at His feet and learn. As we stay at His feet, as Ephesians 3:17 says, our roots grow deep in the knowledge of His Love. This knowledge gives us full access to the fulness of God. As Jesus said in John 17:3, this knowledge is Eternal Life. The bible speaks of a time in Matthew 24:11-13 when due to abundance of lawlessness and ignorance of the truth, the love of many will grow cold. Having true knowledge is the difference between the believer who is offended and turns aside during persecution and those who endure patiently, holding to the promise that not a hair on their head will perish as Jesus said in Luke 21:17-19.
As we give ourselves to true knowledge by learning from Him, It is important to note that people do not wake up 6 ft tall, neither do trees grow big overnight. Growth happens every day and most times it happens unnoticed. Often, the growth happens in the roots where we cannot see. Jesus says that in our patience, we possess our souls. Our God is an ancient and skilled Gardner who has not only mastered the art of patience, He is Patience. If we would walk with Him without offense, we must allow patience have its work in us also. True knowledge stirs up patience and thanksgiving in us, knowing that God is always working.
Final thoughts: Job 14:7-9 says that there is hope for a tree, even if it is cut down and the roots grow old. If this tree is exposed to water, it will bud and grow up again as a plant. Regardless of where we are in our journey into all that Christ is, as we give ourselves to the water of the Word of God our destination is sure.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You because even when I cannot see, You are working. Help me to put my faith in You, knowing that You are committed to my growth. Teach me to sit and learn of You that I may partake daily of the eternal life that comes from knowing You. Amen
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