Day 30: Overflowing Gratitude!
7Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. Colossians 2:7
The image the Apostle Paul offers us in today’s Scripture is one our being like a “plant” whose “roots” grow down into Jesus. The result of our sending roots into Him, is that we “draw up nourishment” from Him. That nourishment grows our faith, and makes us “strong and vigorous in the truth we were taught.” This process of growth is the STANDARD that Jesus set forth, and which all of the New Testament writers assumed. In our day, folks often suggest that God doesn’t really expect us to be like Jesus, even though that’s the stated goal of much of the New Testament. It’s just too hard to actually follow Jesus. The New Testament writers, on the other hand, assumed that by the power of the Holy Spirit living a faithful life is not only possible, but expected. Paul certainly admitted that he often did things he didn’t want to do, and didn’t do things he wanted to do (see Romans 7), but in the end exclaimed—“Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is the key! When we rely on Jesus and the power of His Spirit in our lives, we WILL grow in our faith, and as we mentioned yesterday we WILL live obedient lives. When those things happen—or even as they start to happen—the result is that we are called to let our lives OVERFLOW WITH THANKSGIVING for all Jesus has done! Thankful lives are the result of a growing faith. Thankful lives are the result of being “strong and vigorous” in the truths we were taught. As we go about this day, and every day, let’s make it our intention and our action to let our roots grow down deep into Jesus. The result will be OVERFLOWING GRATITUDE!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What ONE action will you take today to let your “roots” grow down into Jesus?
Ask God to empower you to do that ONE thing!