Happy Sabbath, friends!

This week, I have been studying a lesson about being rooted in Christ, and it really spoke to me.

The lesson centered around the imagery of a tree — or even a plant — and how its growth can be compared to our relationship with God.

Because this lesson blessed me so deeply, I felt led to share the message with anyone who may come across this devotional. My prayer is that it blesses you just as much as it blessed me.

Small Beginnings Still Matter

Zechariah 4:10 (NASB 2020)
“For who has shown contempt for the day of small things? But these seven will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—they are the eyes of the LORD roaming throughout the earth.””

When we are first introduced to faith — no matter when or at what point in our lives — we can almost picture ourselves as a tiny seed.

A seed may look insignificant.

It may be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Yet within that tiny seed is the potential for something much greater.

With the proper care, nourishment, and environment, that seed can eventually become something strong, beautiful, and fruitful.

I think the same can be true when we are new to our faith.

It can be easy to feel insignificant or believe that our relationship with God is not strong or developed enough yet.

Maybe we do not know Scripture as well as someone else.

Maybe prayer still feels unfamiliar.

Maybe we are only beginning to understand what walking with Christ actually looks like.

But God does not disregard small beginnings.

Growth has to begin somewhere.

Matthew 13:31–32 (NASB 2020)
“He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE SKY come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.””

In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as something that begins incredibly small yet grows into something far greater.

And while this parable is specifically speaking about God’s kingdom, I love the reminder within that imagery:

Small does not mean insignificant.

What begins small can still become something powerful when God is the One producing the growth.

Where Are Your Roots?

But how do we actually become rooted in Christ?

What does that look like in our everyday lives?

Think about gardening for a moment.

If you were trying to grow a tree or plant, you would not throw a seed onto pavement and expect it to thrive.

You would intentionally place it somewhere where it can receive what it needs.

A plant needs the right environment.

It needs water.

It needs sunlight.

And it needs continued care.

Planting the seed is only the beginning.

The same principle applies to our relationship with Christ.

Simply beginning a relationship with God does not mean we stop nourishing it.

Christ is the source in which our faith is rooted, while His Word, prayer, worship, and time spent in His presence continually nourish our spiritual growth.

John 15:4–5 (NASB 2020)
“Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Jesus gives us an even clearer picture through the vine and the branches.

A branch cannot survive or produce fruit when it has been separated from its source.

In the same way, we cannot expect our spiritual lives to flourish while remaining disconnected from Christ.

Think about removing a plant from the ground and leaving it without water or sunlight.

Eventually, it begins to wither.

Spiritually, the same thing can happen when prayer disappears, Scripture is neglected, and time with God continually gets pushed aside.

That is why remaining connected to Christ is so important — whether we feel like a tiny seed just beginning our journey or a mature tree that has been walking with Him for years.

We never outgrow our need for Jesus.

Matthew 13:23 (NASB 2020)
“But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.””

Healthy Roots Produce Fruit

Imagine yourself as a tree that bears fruit.

When a tree is healthy, nourished, and firmly rooted, eventually something begins to appear on the outside.

Fruit.

Our spiritual lives should work similarly.

As we remain rooted in Christ, our relationship with Him should begin producing visible evidence in the way we live.

Scripture calls this the fruit of the Spirit:

Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Patience.

Kindness.

Goodness.

Faithfulness.

Gentleness.

Self-control.

Galatians 5:22–23, 25 (NASB 2020)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.”

The more time we spend with our Heavenly Father, the more the Holy Spirit transforms us to become like Jesus.

Jesus gave us the perfect example of what it looks like to walk faithfully with God.

These qualities are not meant to appear because we are simply trying harder to look like good Christians.

They grow as the Holy Spirit works within us.

Healthy roots eventually produce visible fruit.

Rooted Before Fruitful

It is important to remember that spiritual growth is not simply about trying harder.

It comes from remaining connected to Jesus.

Colossians 2:6–7 (NASB 2020)
“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

We sometimes become so focused on the fruit that we forget about the roots.

We want more patience.

More peace.

More self-control.

A stronger prayer life.

A deeper understanding of Scripture.

But before a tree can produce healthy fruit, it needs healthy roots.

The same is true spiritually.

Instead of constantly asking, Why am I not growing faster? maybe we should first ask:

What am I rooted in?

Am I consistently spending time with Christ?

Am I allowing His Word to shape my thoughts and decisions?

Am I praying only when something goes wrong, or am I building a daily relationship with Him?

Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to change me?

Fruit is the evidence.

But the roots are where growth begins.

Keep Growing

Growth takes time.

Trees do not become mature overnight.

Neither do we.

Our relationship with Christ is a journey that continues throughout our entire lives.

There will be seasons when we grow rapidly.

There may be seasons when growth feels slow.

There may even be moments when we fall short or realize that we have drifted.

But falling does not mean our journey is finished.

We can return to the One who gives us life.

Jesus Himself reminds us that apart from Him, we can do nothing.

The connection matters.

The roots matter.

And the One we are rooted in matters most of all.

So today, I leave you with a question:

What are you choosing to be rooted in?

This world can only offer temporary things.

But Jesus offers something eternal.

I choose everlasting life connected to Christ.

And I pray that you choose Him too.

1 John 5:11–12 (NASB 2020)
“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

Stay rooted.

Keep growing.

And trust God with the fruit that will come in His time.

Amen.