Staying Power
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 3:6-7
The Boscia albitrunca, or Shepherd’s Tree, grows in inhospitable deserts and savannahs of Africa. I discovered it recently in one of my “rabbit hole” diversions on the internet. I enjoy just searching out interesting tidbits of information. (sadly, I was also the kid who as a child in the 70’s and 80’s frequently just sat and read the encyclopedia - a paper version of google for you younger guys, haha) The coolest thing about the Shepherd’s Tree is that, although it grows in places that aren’t exactly “tree friendly,” it flourishes in its area. And this tendency to grow is due to the fact that it grows the deepest roots of any tree on the planet. In 1974, a specimen was found with roots that extended 233 feet into the ground. Aside from it’s incredible root system:,it provides shade in the middle of a barren environment; its leaves are edible for animals; its roots can be ground for a substitute for coffee or pounded into powder and eaten as a porridge; it’s berries are edible; and, finally, parts of the tree can used in medicinal ways for both livestock and humans. In short, this tree is crazy cool! It lives somewhere that it seems like it doesn’t belong, and can provide life-saving blessings for man and animal alike.
So, we have a tree growing in a place it seems like it shouldn’t be able to, and while doing so, it provides shelter, protection, and life to those around it. Isn’t that exactly what we should be doing as Christians? Here we are, in a world where we don’t belong, a place where we should be completely uncomfortable, surrounded more and more every day by people living sinful lives, and yet we are called to not only survive, but to give aid to those who will use us, curse us, and possibly even persecute us. And we’re to do all that while abounding in joy and thanksgiving - because we know - we know the truth, that this world may be where we are, but it is not our home. We have a better place to be, we are but sojourners in this land, ambassadors bringing the good news to all who have ears to hear.
Recently our church celebrated the salvation of some young ladies. And as I joyfully removed their names from my list of souls that needed to place their trust in our Lord, it occurred to me that their names need only to be moved, to a new list. A list of those tender shoots who need constant watch, protection, and encouragement as they send their young roots deep into our Savior. It’s not time to check a box and move on to the next one who needs to be saved. It’s time to help them dig in and grow deeply. It’s time to challenge them to learn more, study more, pray more, worship more. We need our next generation to be deeply rooted and abounding with joy!
When Christ was preparing to go to the cross he prayed for his disciples and all of those that would come to follow him throughout time: His prayer is recorded in the 17th chapter of John:
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The whole chapter speaks of Christ’s love and concern for us even as He prepared to sacrifice Himself for us, that we be kept and strengthened in Him. It’s worth a read in its totality, but the verses above speak to me about the things He found the most important even as He prepared to lay down His life for us in such a brutal way. Verse 13 resonated with me because it speaks of His desire for us to have not only joy, but His joy… a godly joy, derived from a life lived set apart and in communion with Him.
The way to that joy-filled life is expressed over and over in the Word. We must remain in Him. Deeply rooted, And to be deeply rooted in Him, we need to know Him. Learn all that we can about Him through His Word, speak to Him often through prayer, listen for the gentle words of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and worship Him with abandon. When we give ourselves over to Him fully, we will truly have real staying power. Far more than just the permanence of our salvation, but we will live a life that is strong and steady in His love, and experience a revival that lasts far longer than a few days.
