Part 1

Hello ,

The world trains us to react.

• React to criticism.
   
• React to betrayal.
   
• React to headlines.
   
• React to emotions.

But Scripture calls us to something deeper.

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith…” (Colossians 2:6–7).

Notice the order. First rooted. Then built up. Stability before growth.

A tree with shallow roots reacts to every gust of wind. A tree with deep roots may sway — but it does not collapse. Its stability isn’t visible. It’s underground.

So is yours.

In 1871, when the Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of the city, one of the buildings that survived was the Chicago Water Tower. Flames swept through neighborhoods. Structures collapsed. But the tower remained standing. Why? Its foundation was stone, not wood. It wasn’t built for appearance. It was built for endurance.

Faith works the same way.

If your identity is rooted in opinions, relationships, or outcomes, you will react to every shift. If someone leaves, you crumble. If someone criticizes you, you spiral. If circumstances change, you panic.

But when your life is rooted in Christ — not just emotionally attached, but grounded — you respond instead of react.

There is a difference.

Reaction is driven by fear and impulse.
Response is guided by conviction and trust.

Colossians says we “walk in Him.” That implies daily movement, daily dependence. Roots grow slowly. They grow in hidden places. They grow through seasons of drought as well as rain.

You don’t build roots in a storm. You discover whether they exist.

And storms will come. Jesus was clear: the rain falls on both houses (Matthew 7:24–27). The difference is not the storm. It is the foundation.

Being rooted does not mean you don’t feel pain. It means pain doesn’t define you. It means betrayal doesn’t rewrite your identity. It means loss does not uproot your faith.

You may sway.
You may grieve.
But you do not collapse.

The world is reactive.
The believer is rooted.

Today, don’t ask, “How do I control the wind?”
Ask, “How deep are my roots?”

Musical Reflection: How Firm a Foundation

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word