Daily Devotionals
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 (Paula)
My husband and I completed our annual tree planting this past weekend.
We were able to get another 200 trees in the ground…and we weren’t too sad about the long gentle rain that fell yesterday and last night!
We have grown to love this project each spring.
I’m always astonished by the baby bare root trees- they have a remarkable root system- and we are so careful about getting them into the ground and protecting those precious roots.
We all know that there are great benefits to a tree’s deep roots:
1. Deep roots can access water during prolonged dry periods.
2. Deep roots can help with the uptake of nutrients
3. Deep roots expose the tree’s system to not only top soil, but the subsoil that is much more stable in temperature and humidity. Topsoil is exposed to short term weather fluctuations, whereas deeper subsoil is not.
It may sound trite, but deep roots are important for us to establish as believers too!
Listen to what Paul writes:
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus‘s Lord, continue to live in him, Rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
-Colossians 2:6-7
If you’re human, and you’re a believer (rookie or veteran) you need this encouragement!
We need to keep pressing our roots further down into the Lord. He asks us to follow him- yes to conversion in belief, but more so into becoming His disciple.
As the Head of School at my daughter’s school says: “Jesus doesn’t call for converts, He calls for followers.”
“Follow Me.”
It’s not a one and done decision. Following Him is a daily choice. We can grow dry, weathered, weary, parched, and isolated if we aren’t careful. If we are “just fine” with shallow roots, our faith may not survive the harsh weather…especially when the soil grows arid, the winds pick up, and the environment is antagonistic (our world!)
Get rooted. The verses from Colossians say to grow our roots down into Jesus. And to keep digging those roots deeper.
Our roots need to be covered in good soil so they can collect the nutrients we need for living and following Jesus. We need to be covered with the truth from the Word of God.
We will not find what we need from the messages of this world. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Don’t settle for shallow roots. Continue to pursue Him, His Word, and His people! Don’t give up.
We love that you are here! And we love joining you on Monday nights in bible study, prayer, and friendship!
Thanks for being here!
Better Together,
Paula
We were able to get another 200 trees in the ground…and we weren’t too sad about the long gentle rain that fell yesterday and last night!
We have grown to love this project each spring.
I’m always astonished by the baby bare root trees- they have a remarkable root system- and we are so careful about getting them into the ground and protecting those precious roots.
We all know that there are great benefits to a tree’s deep roots:
1. Deep roots can access water during prolonged dry periods.
2. Deep roots can help with the uptake of nutrients
3. Deep roots expose the tree’s system to not only top soil, but the subsoil that is much more stable in temperature and humidity. Topsoil is exposed to short term weather fluctuations, whereas deeper subsoil is not.
It may sound trite, but deep roots are important for us to establish as believers too!
Listen to what Paul writes:
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus‘s Lord, continue to live in him, Rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
-Colossians 2:6-7
If you’re human, and you’re a believer (rookie or veteran) you need this encouragement!
We need to keep pressing our roots further down into the Lord. He asks us to follow him- yes to conversion in belief, but more so into becoming His disciple.
As the Head of School at my daughter’s school says: “Jesus doesn’t call for converts, He calls for followers.”
“Follow Me.”
It’s not a one and done decision. Following Him is a daily choice. We can grow dry, weathered, weary, parched, and isolated if we aren’t careful. If we are “just fine” with shallow roots, our faith may not survive the harsh weather…especially when the soil grows arid, the winds pick up, and the environment is antagonistic (our world!)
Get rooted. The verses from Colossians say to grow our roots down into Jesus. And to keep digging those roots deeper.
Our roots need to be covered in good soil so they can collect the nutrients we need for living and following Jesus. We need to be covered with the truth from the Word of God.
We will not find what we need from the messages of this world. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Don’t settle for shallow roots. Continue to pursue Him, His Word, and His people! Don’t give up.
We love that you are here! And we love joining you on Monday nights in bible study, prayer, and friendship!
Thanks for being here!
Better Together,
Paula
