Roots

Today I have been challenged.

 

While I was reading Monday's post from the Good Morning Girls' blog, I read these words: 

 

"Who or what is your identity rooted in? Pray and ask God to show you if your identity is rooted in anything else but God." 

 

*Gulp*  The answer to that question was easy.  Not God.  I'm trying to get there, but it's questions like these that show me how much farther I need go.

 

If anyone read my post from yesterday, it's easy to see I had pretty strong roots in our old home, old life, old church, and old friends.  And let's not even talk about how I don't know how to act when I'm away from my children!  I've often felt we "uprooted" ourselves from there and I've been desperately trying to root myself here.  I need that connection.  I need those ties.  I need those bonds.

 

Well, yes and no.  I do need to be firmly rooted somewhere.  But not anywhere or in anything of this world.  I need to be rooted in God.  It's obvious I've found much of my identity in the things of this world that I've rooted myself in.  God has clearly shown me that.

 

Now don't get me wrong, it's perfectly alright to feel connected to things, places, and people.  In fact, I think it's a good thing to have those connections...as long as we keep our eye on the prize - Jesus!  And as long as we remember that all good things come from God (James 1:17). 

 

Colossians 2:6-7 says "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

 

Verses 9-10 say "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.  He is the head over every power and authority."

 

Now I don't know about you, but I want to be built up and strenghtened by the head over every power and authority!  I want to be full like Jesus!  And you want to know the great thing?  I can!  We all can!  And I am overflowing with thankfulness that we have been given that opportunity!

 

Paul even tells us how to do that here in Colossians:  Root ourselves in Jesus.  Live our lives in Him, every day.  Be thankful.

 

I can do that.  I know I'll fail sometimes, but I won't give up.  And God won't give up on me.  He will show me love and grace, and fulfill His every promise to me.

 

And I will "fix [my] eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  (2 Corinthians 4:18)

 

And when I fix my eye on the prize, "the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace*."

 

 

 

*Quoted from the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.