Welcome to Planted in Christ, a blog about cultivating seeds of faith in Christ. Join me as I explore the path of deep-rooted discipleship.
In Psalm 1.2–3 (NASB 1995), we glimpse some of the characteristics of one rooted in faith:
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Those who delight in the word of God and focus on it day and night have the promise of being “firmly planted” in their discipleship.
Consider the life of a plant. It starts with a seed, planted in soil. If planted in good soil and tended and cared for, roots become established, underground and invisible. Then the plant breaks the surface and heads towards the sun. Life breaks forth in many visible ways with color, shape, and often some type of fruit. To bring forth a healthy plant, one must ensure proper amounts of soil, water, light, and temperature. An imbalance in any of these variables, and the plant will lack the health to survive the elements of the day.
Hosea 10.12 (NLT) reminds us again of this spiritual principle.
12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
We plant these good seeds by daily cultivation of a life centered on Christ through immersion in scripture, prayer, quiet time, worship, and fellowship. As we plant ourselves in the deep soil of His perfect example, we will not just survive the challenges of life, but thrive, living a Christ-centered life, and bearing His fruit.
Jeremiah 17.7–8 (NASB)
7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.
