When our circumstances seem to spin out of control, rest is often the last thing on our minds.
In these interview clips, Curtis Zackery explains how the rhythms of our life can transcend what’s going on around us. In Finding Soul Rest, Zackery provides a practical guide to finding your identity in rhythm with God.
Rooted
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
COLOSSIANS 2:6–7
In the Bible, trees are often used as metaphors to describe what our connection to Christ can and should be like. When I think of trees, two main ideas come to mind, both involving its roots.
First, roots are vital to the tree receiving the nutrients it needs to grow. When the tree is properly rooted, the tree produces life.
Let’s take an orange tree, for example. You can’t walk up to an orange tree and tell it to make you an orange. An orange tree cannot produce fruit on command. But, if a tree is properly rooted and planted, it will produce good fruit naturally, as a result of the life-giving elements that come through its roots. We, too, need to be properly rooted in Christ. As we are rooted, we will make good fruit naturally as a result of our connection to him.
When we produce our own fruit in our own efforts, it is not real, substantive fruit. It’s more like plastic, or fake fruit. I remember as a child seeing a realistic, delicious-looking piece of fruit and attempting to take a huge bite out of it, only to discover that it was hollow inside. It had the appearance of healthy and delicious fruit, but it had no real substance. When you think about the fruit that comes from your life, is it produced by your work or God’s work? Drinking deeply of Jesus and the truth of his gospel as we are led by the Spirit produces real, substantial, and sustainable fruit.
Second, roots also help trees remain properly planted. Storm winds and rains can come, but when a tree is properly rooted, it will keep standing. Think about palm trees that endure hurricane winds in south Florida. It’s amazing to see them in the background of news reports when a storm is occurring. Sometimes they lean so far back they’re almost parallel to the ground. After the storm, you can find bark and leaves from the palm trees scattered all over the streets, but the tree still stands tall, because it is properly rooted. The gospel gives us proper roots that help us remain steadfast in the midst of all types of situations.
When we are rooted in Christ, we can rest knowing that he will supply everything we need for our lives and help us remain immovable in the midst of whatever life throws at us.
When you think about being rooted in Christ, what does that look like in your life?
This post was adapted from Finding Soul Rest: 40 Days of Connecting with Christ by Curtis Zackery (Kirkdale Press, 2020).
