Zoe Elmore
“He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)
Okay, I admit it, I color my hair. Like millions of women, I color my dull, dingy, drab, lifeless, gray hair. Ordinarily I wouldn’t think of mentioning this, after all a southern woman never admits two things: her age, or that she colors her hair. However it’s more than obvious that my roots are showing. My appointments are always scheduled months in advance because of the overwhelming demand for my hairdresser’s time and talents; but circumstances dictated that I miss my last appointment.
While you may be thinking this is a simple, vain complaint there is a spiritual application here. As believers we each have spiritual roots and those roots feed and nourish our spiritual lives. For instance, if our spiritual roots are planted deep in God, strong and well nourished, the roots may not be seen but our lives will show forth the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians 5.22: “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” However, the opposite is also true. If our roots are shallow or showing, they will be too weak and frail to nourish the growth of spiritual fruit. Our lives and our witness for Christ will be dull, dingy, drab, gray and lifeless just like my hair.
Although a professional hairdresser uses her skilled hands to color my hair, her work is only temporary and I must return on a regular basis to maintain the desired results. The same thing can be said for maintaining deep roots in Christ and a fruitful life.
The benefits and power we receive from spending time with Christ can only be maintained as we commit to a regular routine of spending time with our sweet Jesus. Sadly, too often we allow circumstances to dictate our lives and we miss our daily Jesus appointment. It is in those times of neglect that our weakened roots begin to show. If you’re anything like me, living with my roots showing is not a good thing. My attitude and actions soon become unpleasant and unattractive. My focus turns to selfish desires and my witness for Christ soon turns from positive to positively ugly!
Our Jesus is in constant demand but unlike my hairdresser, we are assured He has time for us in every day. He is always available to listen and to provide exactly what we need to maintain the desired results of a spiritually fruitful life.
If we are to be strong witnesses for Christ, maintaining a life that produces the fruit of the Spirit even in difficult and stressful times, we must spend time with our “root specialist” Jesus on a regular and routine basis.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being available to me, and for the power I receive through Your Holy Spirit to live a fruitful life. Restore my desire to begin my day in quiet time with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Come Thirsty by Max Lucado
The Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study: A 15 Minute Daily Plan by Lisa Whelchel
Visit Zoe Elmore’s blog
Application Steps:
If you are concerned about your attitude and actions, and you long to produce mature spiritual fruit, commit to returning to Jesus on a regular and routine basis.
Reflections:
How can you restructure your daily routine to ensure strong and fruitful spiritual roots?
Power Verses:
Hosea 14:5, “I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots.” (NIV)
Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (NIV)
© 2008 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.
“He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)
Okay, I admit it, I color my hair. Like millions of women, I color my dull, dingy, drab, lifeless, gray hair. Ordinarily I wouldn’t think of mentioning this, after all a southern woman never admits two things: her age, or that she colors her hair. However it’s more than obvious that my roots are showing. My appointments are always scheduled months in advance because of the overwhelming demand for my hairdresser’s time and talents; but circumstances dictated that I miss my last appointment.
While you may be thinking this is a simple, vain complaint there is a spiritual application here. As believers we each have spiritual roots and those roots feed and nourish our spiritual lives. For instance, if our spiritual roots are planted deep in God, strong and well nourished, the roots may not be seen but our lives will show forth the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians 5.22: “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” However, the opposite is also true. If our roots are shallow or showing, they will be too weak and frail to nourish the growth of spiritual fruit. Our lives and our witness for Christ will be dull, dingy, drab, gray and lifeless just like my hair.
Although a professional hairdresser uses her skilled hands to color my hair, her work is only temporary and I must return on a regular basis to maintain the desired results. The same thing can be said for maintaining deep roots in Christ and a fruitful life.
The benefits and power we receive from spending time with Christ can only be maintained as we commit to a regular routine of spending time with our sweet Jesus. Sadly, too often we allow circumstances to dictate our lives and we miss our daily Jesus appointment. It is in those times of neglect that our weakened roots begin to show. If you’re anything like me, living with my roots showing is not a good thing. My attitude and actions soon become unpleasant and unattractive. My focus turns to selfish desires and my witness for Christ soon turns from positive to positively ugly!
Our Jesus is in constant demand but unlike my hairdresser, we are assured He has time for us in every day. He is always available to listen and to provide exactly what we need to maintain the desired results of a spiritually fruitful life.
If we are to be strong witnesses for Christ, maintaining a life that produces the fruit of the Spirit even in difficult and stressful times, we must spend time with our “root specialist” Jesus on a regular and routine basis.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being available to me, and for the power I receive through Your Holy Spirit to live a fruitful life. Restore my desire to begin my day in quiet time with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Come Thirsty by Max Lucado
The Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study: A 15 Minute Daily Plan by Lisa Whelchel
Visit Zoe Elmore’s blog
Application Steps:
If you are concerned about your attitude and actions, and you long to produce mature spiritual fruit, commit to returning to Jesus on a regular and routine basis.
Reflections:
How can you restructure your daily routine to ensure strong and fruitful spiritual roots?
Power Verses:
Hosea 14:5, “I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots.” (NIV)
Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (NIV)
© 2008 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.
7 Comments:
I definitely know what to do to restructure. Now I pray for God's power to do it and be faithful in my choices. All glory to our God and Father.
I certainly receive much from reading the devotional daily. It is a great way to start my day. However, it would be nice to have one on Saturday and Sunday too. Now I just go back and review the week (probably a good thing too) thanks so much, my daughter told me about you.
Thanks I have been struggling to make time for Him in the mornings...I usually do good to read the daily devotionals...and think on what was said. I pray I will recommit my time to Him in the mornings...and not let life tempt me to stray. Thanks for the reminder and lil nudge. Have a good weekend.
I BELIEVE THIS IS AVERY TIMLEY MESSAGE. WE ALL NEED TO GO TO THE WELL OF LIVING WATER- EVERY DAY!!I PRAY GOD GIVES ME THE STRENGTH TO STRUTCHER MY LIFE AROUND "HIM' FOR THIS IS THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE. THANKS, KITCAT.
Sweet Sisters,
I too must recommit my time to be with our sweet Jesus on a daily basis. Life wants to creep in and steal away the nourishment my roots need.
Please pop over to my blog so we can encourage one another.
www.zoeelmore.blogspot.com
This message speaks directly to me, as the Lord has recently impressed upon me this Galatians 5:22-23 verse and my need to commit daily time to Him.
Thank you for your wise words of encouragement - Our roots are what nourish us each day - so daily watering with His word is so vital. On a side note - God has convicted me lately to allow my gray hair show - to be a example to the younger women that we are made perfectly in the site of God gray hair and all! Talk about a humbling experience and through this he has blessed me several times over.
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