“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” — Colossians 2:6–7 (NASB)

These are two of my favorite verses — they are my son Benjamin’s confirmation verses and they are the foundational verses for Firmly Rooted Ministries. They wonderfully describe the process of the Christian life. First, we must receive Jesus Christ. Without faith in Jesus there is no foundation upon which to build your life. Without Jesus we build on sand. But once we receive Jesus into our hearts, we “walk in Him.” Jesus told each of His disciples to “follow” Him. The same is true for us. Once we receive Jesus, we are called into a lifelong walk of discipleship.

This walk is a defining process! The closer our walk with Jesus, the more Firmly Rooted our lives become. As we follow Jesus, the Spirit of God begins to build in us a solid foundation. Our lives are no longer built on sand but on the very rock of Jesus and His Word. Our faith becomes more established and sure as we continue to be instructed by God’s Word. Notice how important proximity to Jesus is in all of this. None of this positive growth takes place if we are not walking with (following) Him. That is why Jesus referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd, and we the sheep that hear His voice and follow Him. We are the branches that must cling to Him (the Vine).

The outcome of this walk is a life rooted in and protected by Jesus and His Word. Our life naturally begins to overflow with gratitude for God’s faithfulness throughout the journey. Read today’s verses one more time and may they be descriptive of your walk, not just for today, but for the rest of your life.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church