Rooted

Today's word was Rooted. 6/18/08. Our scripture was Colossians 2:2-7

"

2My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."


Jody gave this devotion in the morning and he talked about what is means to be rooted. (Obviously). He gave the illustration of a tree. Say you have a baby oak tree that has just been planted, someone my size could come and completely pull it out, sometimes taking it's roots and all. After years of growing and nourishing the tree becomes a HUGE tree that even the largest semi can not budge. That tree didn't grow on it's own, it needed other trees around it and needed food and sunlight. That's how our relationship with Christ should be. We should be so rooted in faith that when small obstacles arise they can't move us and when BIG obstacles come our way our roots don't budge. We can't grow in our walk alone, we need other Christians to walk beside us and we need to feed ourselves with God's word.

We went to a water park with the kids from the Maytown camp. I'm not a big fan of water parks but the kids had a blast and seeing the looks on their faces was worth the cold weather and cold water. After the water park the kids were taken back to Maytown and the interns and youth groups went to Daniel Boone National Park to have a cook out. We fellowshipped with each other, ate some food, played some frisbee, celebrated a birthday and worthship. During worship we got broken into our small groups (not our work groups but a different small group). We were then given 8 pictures (they were amazing photography by the way) and we were told to pick one the represented something in our life. Something we are dwelling on. I wanted to choose all of them, because they all served some purpose in my life. But I settled on the one with an old rusty bike with no wheels on it. This is how my life felt. I've taken the wrong way so many times because I get distracted by something that looks appealing to the eye. I search for God and his direction and get lost, because I see God in all the wrong things, people, and places. But I'm still standing and I just need my master to do a little work in me and hopefully be back on my way. I've just been lost for God, but my life has never been so happy and I'm not sure why it is, but it is.

This night Scott and I got to walk away from the group and talk about all that is going during the trip. We both kind of looked at each other and said "I don't know why I am here." We didn't feel like the youth was getting anything from it and it was almost discouraging. But we keep our heads high and continued on with our work, only to be taken back by the work of God during the rest of the week.



"No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus command my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can even pluck me from His hand
'Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."