So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, (Colossians 2:6)

According to Rick Warren in The Purpose-Driven Life, one of God¯s eternal purposes for our life is to become like Christ. The word for that is discipleship. It means not only that we follow Christ¯s example, but that we allow Christ to live in us. Warren writes, °Christlikeness is not produced by imitation but by inhabitation± (p. 174).

That is exactly what the apostle Paul is talking about when he uses the phrase °rooted and built up± in Christ. Just as a tree with deep roots gets its nourishment from the soil, so the Christian who has deep roots in Christ cannot easily be brought down. And just as a house built on a strong foundation stands fast, so the Christian life is sturdy and stable because it is built on the strength of Christ.

A young boy was doing his best to lift a heavy rock. His father walked by and asked if he was having trouble. °I can¯t move this rock,± said the boy. °Are you sure you¯ve tried everything?± his father asked. °Yes,± he replied. °No you haven¯t,± the father said. °You haven¯t asked me for help.± Living in Christ opens us up to God¯s strength.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be rooted and grounded in you. Amen

Source: Words of Hope