A Heart Open for Growth - Your Nightly Prayer - April 19th

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Your Nightly Prayer

A Heart Open for Growth
Your Nightly Prayer
By Sophia Bricker

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

"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." - Colossians 2:7, NLT

SOMETHING TO PONDER

A healthy tree will show outward signs of its ability to thrive, but one of the elements of its health is invisible to observers–the root system. The ability for a tree to function effectively, and produce fruit in some cases, is directly related to the quality of the roots. Poor roots underground lead to an unhealthy trunk and branches. Our walk with Jesus works in much the same way. Our Lord taught that a true follower, and in context, a teacher, would have outward signs of faith (Matthew 7:17-20). Fruit in the form of good deeds that bring glory to Him (James 2:18). However, our ability to produce spiritual fruit hinges upon how deep our roots go into the source of our life: Jesus. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

As the passage for tonight reveals, we must develop a strong root system in the Lord, regularly investing in our relationship in Him if we want to grow in our faith (Colossians 2:7). Mere skimming faith, which involves glimpsing at a Bible verse on a few Sundays and turning to God to ask for help only in dire circumstances, leads to shallowness. We will not become the fruitful disciples that our Savior desires us to be if we neglect this essential part of our faith and very life.

Thankfully, like with trees, there are things we can do to increase this rootedness. The first is to cultivate a heart open to growth, a desire to dig deeper into our relationship with the Lord. Already, He is calling us to come to Him, a call that is even more apparent with the rise of new opportunities in life. New beginnings offer the possibility for greater growth in Christ. For we do not have to wait until our lives are free from problems or concerns. Or for everything to fall perfectly in place. No, even now amid challenges and change, we can start to become like a flourishing tree, whose roots grow deep in the love of Christ and are nourished by the waters of His Spirit. Oh, what fruit we will produce! If only we would learn to abide in Him in every season.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Father,
Great Gardener of earth and soul, I am amazed by the intricate root systems You gave to plants in your creation––everything from the small, but strong roots of flowers to the large network of roots in forests that work together for the good of the trees. I want to be like a flourishing tree, O Lord Christ. Help me to grow my roots deep by abiding in You. I no longer want to be passive in my spiritual walk, as if growth will happen without any intentionality on my part. I am done with shallow faith that leads to weak growth. So, may I prepare the soil by investing in regular Bible time with You and by listening to Your guiding voice. May I be watered and nourished by following the guidance of the Spirit and communing with You. And may I avoid shallowness in my spiritual walk by being a doer of the Word instead of a listener only. All of this is to bear fruit for the glory of my Lord and Savior. In Your name, Jesus, I pray.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

Your favorite type of tree. Maybe it is a flowering variety, like cherry blossom, or one with beautiful fall foliage, like maple. How is this tree special to you?
The image of the righteous person as a thriving tree in Psalm 1. What particularly stands out to you about the characteristics of this person? In what ways can you cultivate these traits?
A specific spiritual practice that resets your focus on Jesus (i.e., prayer, Bible reading, meditation, journaling, worship, etc.). In what ways can you integrate this practice into this season of new opportunities?

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/damircudic

Sophia Bricker Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. She completed a BA and MA in Christian ministry which included extensive study of the Bible and theology, as well as an MFA in creative writing. You can read her thoughts about literature and faith at The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack, or visit the discipleship-based site Cultivate, where she writes with her sister.