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

The roots on our “eyeball tree”, as my granddaughter used to call the elephant ear philodendron plant in our garden, continually produces strong fibrous shoots. They are thin and flexible, so when they get long enough to reach down into the decking, I wrap them around the trunk to prevent their rooting in the earth underneath the wood deck.

Aren’t we like those roots? Springing up and reaching out, waving in the breeze, always turning toward the sun. Isn’t God always there, gently turning us downward so our roots can be firmly and deeply in Him? He is continuously and gently doing this, even though it is barely noticeable.

It’s necessary, though, in order to steady the large, heavy top growth of the plant – the visible part. Then when the storms come, we will not topple, but stand firm, rooted deeply in Him.

Thank you, Lord, for faithfully taking care of rooting us, even though we are not always aware of it.

Sally Ireland Kennedy is the author of Irish Thursdays: More Little Parables, Words from the Heart, and 52 Little Parables from Ireland. She is a songwriter and the creator of Poppy the Penguin® preschool music video series. Sally lives in south Florida, with her husband Ben.