Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
9:00am & 10:45am,
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

A Root In Dry Ground

“My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.” – – Isaiah 53:2. 

According to Isaiah 53:2, the prophesied One would not appear to be anything great using imagery of “a tender green shoot” and “a root in dry ground.” Isaiah uses the metaphor “a root in dry ground” to emphasize the unfavorable conditions in which the Messiah would appear.  

But this “root in dry ground” not only survives but takes root and grows everywhere, even in the unlikeliest of places. The thrill of this truth is that nothing is beyond His reach. No situation is beyond His power to change. Think of the driest place imaginable–maybe some part of the world or in your town. Or what about the hardest, coldest heart, the shattered marriage. The Root of which Isaiah spoke will produce a shoot and thrive there.

What about neighborhoods, cities, and nations. Is it possible that “a tender green shoot” could survive and grow there? The answer is yes. We see movements of God in every city and nation, even in the unlikeliest of places. We should not be discouraged when we view our neighborhoods, cities, and our nation. We must simply recommit ourselves to planting the Root where we can. Plant Him in our neighborhoods. Plant Him in our cities and in our nation and in the world. He will survive and grow. He will change hearts and lives whenever and wherever He is planted. 

But it starts with each one of us. Colossians 2: 6-7 says, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” In this passage, Paul is reminding the Colossian church of their foundation, their root system. When we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and as the Lord of our lives, the root process begins. We start to grow our roots into Christ, our firm foundation. 

Reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word is so important. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the stronger your roots will become in Jesus. Meditating on God’s Word will also increase your faith.

As you study, decide on ways to apply what you are learning. You can memorize verses that you find most helpful and stay focused on them throughout your day. Sharing what you are working on with someone else helps establish it for you even further. Maybe you know someone who would be blessed to hear about what you are learning because it would help them become rooted in God as well. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does it mean to be rooted to God? 
  2. How can we use the Bible this week to become more rooted? 

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