Rooted, Built up, and Abounding

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7) Friday, I checked on some trees that I planted during the Spring. I expected that the deer would have eaten them, and they had. I expected one or two may have died- perhaps. But one was missing. No leaves, stem, roots… nothing. How? I busted roots, prepared soil; I even carried fertilizer about a half mile to where I planted it! Where did it go?!?

To save space look at a parallel thought; what are you doing to strengthen your roots? Are you growing in the Word of God- deepening your knowledge (roots) in all that He does for you? Looking to Jesus will allow you to see Him in aspects of everyday life. You have spend time working in the Word to be able to share it with others. Roots that do not find nutrients can not produce fruit. And, it all starts with the Savior.

Thanksgiving Day is always a beautiful day for me and my family. Most of the world also seems to get so much from spending time being thankful for what they have achieved, or gained, or done. This should prove that the attitude of thankfulness is powerful and should be desired. Yeah, it’s cliché to discuss having an attitude of gratitude year ‘round as the Thanksgiving holiday draws to an end- but, I’m a preacher. I get to spout that reminder every Sunday! You can be thankful every day with good reason: Jesus died for you.

We gain that pleasant attitudes during late November (and December) because we focus on others and what we’ve been given. And as the new year starts the first thing we do is discuss what we are going to do about ourselves (resolutions). How about taking a moment and looking around at your life. What makes it easy to be thankful? Promote that attitude. Need a starting place? For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life… Thank God. Yes. Thank God.