“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” ~Colossians 2:6-7

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” ~Colossians 2:6-7

We recently had to have a tree removed for fear of low hanging branches coming through our bedroom roof in the middle of the night. The wind has been excessive this year, hasn’t it? (Fuel for my crazy imagination) My plan was to cover the area with wildflowers and very quickly realized that the tree roots were EVERYWHERE. And strong. Planting anything would be impossible. I ended up scattering seeds and letting them fall where they pleased.

The point is that roots are necessary for a strong plant - the network typically spreads far beyond what you’d expect. They provide support, water and nourishment, anchorage and stability. It is not difficult to connect that to our relationship with Jesus. Just as the tree would die without the roots, so would we without Him. In fact, the next chapter in Colossians tells us that Christ is our life [3:4].

Jesus taught that He was the vine and we are the branches. The New Testament is FULL of metaphors that clearly demonstrate how vital that connection is.

Protect that connection. Nurture it. Guard it. You will see fruit. Don’t try to rip out those roots because you cannot. They are always there, hidden yet powerful. Guaranteed life.

“In Him we live and move and have our being” ~Acts 17:28a

Written by: Bonnie Chovanec, 2026