by Dr. Paul Chappell

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

Colossians 2:6-7

Just as a car must merge to the flow of traffic, so we must grow in our journey by merging to Christ's leading.

A car was once driving down a major highway at just twenty-six miles per hour. Causing a commotion and many frustrated motorists, the car was eventually pulled over by a highway patrolman. "Is there something wrong, officer?" asked the driver. "You were going twenty-six miles per hour. There is a law against that," said the patrolman. "You must be going at least fifty miles per hour." The driver rebutted, "But officer, when I turned onto the highway, the sign read '26'." After suppressing a laugh, the officer replied, "This is Highway 26. Twenty-six isn't the speed limit." Relaxing at the news, the driver sat back in his seat at which point the officer could see a passenger beside the driver. The passenger's eyes were wide open and she was holding onto the door for dear life. "What's wrong with her?" asked the patrolman. The driver replied, "I don't know. She's been like that ever since we got off Highway 160."

Sometimes our journey through life can leave us hanging on with all our might. Have you ever tried to merge onto a major highway during rush hour? The process of looking over your shoulder, making sure the lane is free, slowly merging, and speeding up to the flow of traffic is enough to fray anyone's nerves.

Just as a car must merge to the flow of traffic, so we must grow in our journey by merging to Christ's leading. How can we merge onto His path? How can we give up our own direction or destination and follow His leading?

First, we must be rooted in Christ. Colossians 2:6-7 states, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him." Once we've received Christ and taken the freeway entrance, we must merge into our relationship with Him, but being rooted in Christ.

Second Peter 3:18 tells us that in order to root ourselves in Christ, we must grow in our relationship with Him: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." Growth is the product of hearing, studying, and consulting God's Word. It comes from daily taking time to listen to the Lord and to His direction. As you daily make time to delve into His Word, you'll grow more strongly rooted in Christ.

Second, we must be established in Christ. Colossians 2:7 goes on to say, "and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught." Becoming established in the faith happens as a result of repeated time with God. Establishing yourself comes from learning the principles of God's Word, developing godly friendships, and setting up biblical standards in our personal lives.

Third, we must abide in Christ. It's not enough to merge into traffic, but you must continue along with the flow of traffic for as long as you travel the road. Even so, it's not enough to begin Christianity by rooting yourself in Christ; you must continue abiding in Him.

As Colossians 1:23 says, you must continue in the faith you now have, "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister."

Are you rooted and established in your faith? Have you developed a daily routine of spending time with Christ, and are you applying the principles you've found in God's Word to your life? Also, remember to continue the faith you've established as you seek to journey further in your relationship with God.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 31-32 | Acts 23:16-35