Colossians 2:5-8
Before a tumbleweed every blows across the desert basin it first blooms as lush green vegetation.
In the early spring and rainy season, seeds that have been deposited over the desert sands are strengthened as they absorb the greatly needed nutrition from the rains and they sink their roots into the soil. Unfortunately, the season of rain is short in the desert and soon ends, the soil once again dries up and there is no source for the roots to find any nourishment. This results in the death of the vegetation and we find it drifting in the wind across the desert floor.
Speaking the Truth in Love
by Pastor Tommy Hill
Several times throughout the Bible God’s children are symbolically referred to as trees (Psalm 1). The strength of any tree is determined by the depth and health of its roots. The tree can only survive when it can draw from deep sources of nourishment. Without strength the tree is easily blown over by the wind, it shrivels up and dies.
In our world today, we face many prevailing winds of false doctrine and false belief, which can easily uproot those who are not firmly grounded in the truth of God’s word. Paul was specifically speaking of the potential for weak Christians to be easily swayed in the Colossian church because of false teachers. Paul encourages the Colossians to be intentionally rooted in Christ so they will not fall to anything that is untrue (James 1:5-8).
Philosopher Elton Trueblood described the USA as: “a cut-flower civilization.” A society once made to flourish by roots (biblical heritage) in true and nourishing values has cut itself off from those very values which made it strong.”Beautiful as cut flowers may be, and as much as we use our ingenuity to keep them looking fresh for a while, they eventually die, and they die because they are severed from their sustaining roots.”
America, collectively, is no longer ROOTED in Christ. There are groups of believers in every state but as a nation we are slowly slipping from our Christian heritage, (our roots have withdrawn from the sustaining nourishment of God’s word). Many Christians today no longer have a “strengthened” knowledge of what they believe. Everyone now gets to go to Heaven based on personal beliefs not on the truth of God’s word. The individual roots of each Christian determine our strength as Christian families. So how can we gain the needed strength to remain strong and rooted in Christ?
FIRST, EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH GOD. It is God that saves, He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” It is God that sustains. He strengthens us through His word but we must read and meditate on His word to receive this nourishment. Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” He is our strong tower, a present help in time of trouble. The more we fill our minds with Jesus the more He is able to teach us and guide us in the truth. It is unfortunate that many today fill their minds with more of this world than of the world (Heaven) which we desire to live in for eternity. Adrian Rogers once said, “We can’t draw from the bucket that which wasn’t first put into the well.” If our world is filled with the world’s water, we’ll not find the needed strength when the strong winds blow.
SECOND, TRUE STABILITY IS ONLY FOUND IN CHRIST. People are struggling to find stability in unstable sources. There are many things in life that bring temporary happiness but only Jesus can give lasting joy and eternal life. There is pleasure in sin for a season, but seasons come to an end. In Christ we have the stability we need, Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” He never changes; we can build upon that foundation.
The stable tree has its roots deep in the rich soil of the word of God. This enables the tree to provide shelter in the storms of life. When we are stable, we become a greater shelter for our families and friends. The strength comes from God, but God uses us as His instruments to benefit others and thereby bring glory to Jesus Christ, His Son. What a difference the good soil of God’s word makes in comparison to the soil of the world. Let us determine to make a difference and prepare our hearts to receive God’s word by taking care of our roots, the secret connection to the Son, who nourishes the soil (our hearts).
God does not desire that any of us become STUNTED trees. May God bless you as you grow in Him.
Pastor Tommy Hill is the pastor of First Free Will Baptist Church in Hamlet. He is a Richmond County native. He can be reached at firstfwbchurchhamlet@gmail.com
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