"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" Colossians 2:6
Recently, I found myself at the train station in Jamaica, Queens, en route to Baltimore. While I waited for the train to arrive, I saw a sign painted on the platform that said “Watch the Gap”. I thought for a moment about how many people had lost their possessions, possibly their shoes, and most certainly their step because they failed to notice the six inch space between the platform and the train to make the MTA formulate a plan to make people aware of the gap in order to keep them safe.
We are the same way, running into those spaces that pull us away from God, without a second thought—temptations that send us back to old people and bad habits from which we’ve been delivered; pushing ourselves past empty in order to make other people happy; working a job that is nowhere near what our souls long for us to be doing. And when we fall into those gaps, we wallow there angry with ourselves because we missed our “Watch the Gap”.
God places guidelines and warning signs in his word to keep us from our life's gaps. He tells us to seek wise counsel in Proverbs 15:22 to keep us humble; instructs that the “power of life and death is in the tongue” in Proverbs 18:21; and teaches us how to pray in Luke 11: 1-3. However, Colossians 2:6 provides us with a roadmap on how we can avoid the gaps in our lives. There, it states: “…live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness”.
Become Rooted in Christ: Our growth and development depend solely on the nutrients we receive at our root. Being rooted in Christ means we’re anchored in him. There is absolutely nothing we can do to break ourselves off from the love Christ has for us. We can rest in the knowledge that the nutrients we receive from him, our Living Water, at our root will only work for our good.
Strengthened in Faith: According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. To have faith in God to provide a way, to open doors, to be ever-present, to grant us grace, mercy, favor, and peace is what works to build our belief in the Lord. It also helps us to trust him at all times, even during our storms.
Overflowing Thankfulness: Nothing changes our perspective faster than being thankful. Taking time to say and be thankful for what you have is of utmost importance because it shows God how much you appreciate what he has done in your life. Doing so shifts our focus from self-centeredness to soul-filled gratitude.
Be mindful to keep your eyes open and your spirit on the Lord. He will not only show you the way, but will place himself over those gaps to keep you from losing your way and connection to him.
