“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6)

We like to believe we can accelerate ahead, feet barely skimming the floor, making progress like a champion racehorse bound and determined to cross the finish line at a record pace. But, life is far more often a plodding, one sole up and one sole down, movement characterized by faltering steps and daily decisions to endure and proceed.

In the particular way we surrendered to Christ as Lord and looked to him for salvation and life eternal, we are called to make our way through life. With a lifestyle patterned after his, keeping in step with his example, staying close by his side as we develop spiritually, we measure our progress by his standards. We are summoned simply to keep walking with the Savior.

Unlike tumbleweed that is blown about, the Lord reminds us to be firmly rooted in his rich soil and to draw spiritual nourishment there. Since Living Water and Bread of Life are two of his names, and the Scriptures are referred to as “the sincere milk of the Word,” it is to our distinct advantage to hunker down in his presence, to linger long with his sacred writings in order to be completely saturated and satisfied with his Truth.

The purpose he has for us also involves building, layer upon layer, a framework upon his foundation. Nowhere is the concept more clearly stated than in 2 Peter 1:5: “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-­control, and self‐control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”

The next verse sums up how to reach the finish line with flying colors: “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Walking, rooting, building – step forward and watch him work.