Stay Rooted

Thought for today:  Stay Rooted.   In our journey through this life we often stumble and fail God, but God would have us to dig our roots deep and therefore be able to withstand all things.  When you come to know who Jesus Christ truly is and acknowledge that he is the "Son of God" and begin living for him you have planted yourself on a sure foundation.  

The bible teaches us in 

Romans 10:9 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

There was once a great king whose name was Nebuchadnezzar.  During his reign as king over the great city of Babylon he learned a lot of things from a few little Jewish boys that he held in captivity.   The one great thing he learned was that there in only "One True God".  King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream that disturbed him and made him afraid.  None of his wise men could interpret the dream, but he remembered Daniel and called him in.  The king had dreamed of a great tree that stood tall.  The birds rested in the branches and the animals took shelter under the tree.  

Daniel 4:10-12

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

Daniel let the king know that this great tree represented the king.  It was the rest of the dream that made him so afraid. King Nebuchadnezzar saw an angel come down and cut down the tree.  It was destroyed, but Daniel saw a little hope in the dream because God told the angel to cut down the tree but leave the stump in the earth.

Daniel 4:13-15 

13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

The king was about to lose his kingdom.  He would become as an animal and eat grass as an oxen.  He would become a lunatic, but there was hope because no matter how many gods the king served and worshiped, in his heart he knew that there was only "One True God"  and after all his suffering, one day he lifted his eyes to heaven and his mind came back to him and he praised the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The God of Daniel...

Daniel 4:34

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

He knew of a kingdom that would last forever.  When Jesus Christ sets up his kingdom, it will have no end.  

Luke 1:32-33

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end

You see, because King Nebuchadnezzar knew in his heart who God really was, in his great mercy, God left the stump in the ground.  With the stump in the ground, there was a chance for the tree to grow again and before his death the king had his mind restored and he once again gave glory to the most high God.  He was rooted in the truth but just could not live the life.  He was like many Christians today.  They know the truth but let the things of this world draw them away from God.  

Friends, we need to get ourselves grounded deep and know that Jesus Christ is the only way.  His is the only name given under heaven that we might be saved.  Paul also taught us of the importance of staying rooted in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:17-19 

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

We need to stay rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ and know that he is the only way to eternity.  He told us "I am the way"  

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Kathy Wellman

Reference:  King James Bible