In terms of its importance, roots are the lifeline of plants; they absorb water and minerals from the soil, provide support and anchor, and store food as well.

How does this apply to our relationship with God as Christians? Just as roots are important to plants and the soil, our relationship with God is important to our individual lives and to everyone and everything surrounding us. We deepen our roots in God by inviting Him into our lives and spending quality time in His presence. Our lives then become more evident of Christ after we have spent time building and developing our spiritual muscles.

When we are deeply rooted, we are strong enough to withstand challenges, take on obstacles, and ready to go through life with the assurance that God is our anchor and support. This is confirmed in Matthew 7: 24 and 25 which says, anyone that hears and acts on the word of God is likened to a wise man who built his house upon the rock but when the rain, floods and winds blew upon that house it withstood the fall.

Your root in Christ is also essential for discernment purposes. The devil is not always dressed in red robes and going about with a pitchfork. He camouflages as a familiar face and when you are not deep-rooted, you will find yourself credulous enough to believe anything that sounds appealing. One of such instances in 2020 was when I saw this post on Instagram justifying premarital sex as acceptable as long as it is with someone you intend to marry. If you study God’s word in 1 Corinthians 6:18,7:2 and 1 Thessalonians 4: 3-5, it is clearly stated as a NO. The Bible, in Ephesians 4:14, talks about us maturing and not being influenced when people try to trick us with clever lies that sound like the truth. Sadly, these lies are suddenly making their way into the church and I now see Christians making justifications for some things that are clearly against the word of God.

Undoubtedly, the pandemic and the resulting church restrictions have resulted in people discovering that they have been more rooted in churches than in God. This is because people often confuse service in the church with having a personal relationship with God. Hence the question: “now that churches are closed and the assembly is not there, who then is God to you? How deep in God is your foundation?”

In this new year, you need to search the word of God for yourself and work towards applying the word of God to every aspect of your life. Are your roots established deep enough to withstand any storm, controversial comments, or weird doctrines? Where do you stand on issues pertaining to holiness, premarital sex, tithing, and expression of love to non-Christians?