The previous owner of our home left a pile of heavy flagstone rocks in the backyard. The stones sat next to the storage shed, sinking into the ground covered in weeds and other vegetation. We had other pressing projects with our fixer-upper and never gave the rocks much thought. That is, until last week when I decided to add a flagstone walkway to our front door.

As with many older New England homes, the front door was no longer used as the main entrance. Over the years, several additions to the house had installed a new door closer to the driveway with a new walkway. The original front door required visitors to walk across our grass lawn so installing a stone walkway would complement our other entries.

Digging out and moving the flagstones to the front yard required a tremendous effort. What I thought was a one-day project quickly became a multi-day project. The first phase involved moving the rocks to the front yard, which I believed would be the most demanding aspect of the work. Once all the stones were moved, I quit for the day, grateful the next day would not require the same level of work.

The next day, I began removing the grass where the new walkway would be placed. Several minutes into digging, it became apparent the project would not get any easier. The fibrous root system of the sod required a lot of effort to release its hold on the earth. It felt like my shovel could only dislodge an inch of sod at a time. Even when the grass was finally loose, the sod held on to a large amount of soil, making it heavier than the rocks the day before. Due to the strength of the root system, removing the pieces of sod was much harder than moving the stones the day before.

I reflected on this unexpected strength during one of the many breaks that I needed to take that day.

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (Colossians 2:6-7)

Another version of the Bible says, "Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught."

I worked for a lawn care company during college. I can remember the owner telling customers to make sure to water their grass for at least an hour when conditions were dry. He would explain the water would go deeper into the soil and the roots would follow. Watering for shorter amounts of time would cause the roots to remain near the service, and the grass would be susceptible to drought or other harsh conditions.

We are encouraged to have our roots grow deep in Christ. For me, this equates to regular, healthy watering of prayer, reflection, and daily devotion to our Lord. In this way, our faith is strengthened, and we are prepared for God's good work. The strength of our faith resides underneath the surface of what is seen.

John K. Thornburg