Invocation is a new monthly feature at Million Praying Moms for the purpose of starting each month with a prayerful focus. In case you aren’t familiar with the term, an “invocation” is simply a prayer that introduces something…most often a sermon, or beginning of some kind of service. My husband and I had an invocation at the beginning of our wedding ceremony. On the first of each month, I’ll send out an Invocation Email that shares the verse I’m most excited to pray in the upcoming month, events at Million Praying Moms you won’t want to miss, and other items you’ll find interesting. I’ll then point you back to the MPM website, where my friend Rachel Wojo will share a devotion and that month’s Invocational Prayer. If you don’t know Rachel, you’re missing out. I hope you’ll sign up here to make sure you get the Invocation email every month, and take the time to get to know her better! To see the March Invocation email, click here.
💚 Brooke
(And now, Rachel…)
Colossians 2:7 NLT 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.
Who’s ready for spring? (HAND HELD HIGH!) On the days I walk my son’s dog, Kimber, I find myself searching for signs of spring. A few days ago, the temperature warmed up, and the scent of the first rain this season filled my lungs with hope. Perhaps you too are living in anticipation of a fresh breath of life?
It seems my prayer life feels the same urge. “Lord, I’d sure love to see some proof of the work You’re doing!” I’m guessing you know what I mean. Maybe you’re living in a dark season or have walked through a set of harsh circumstances. Yet, a glimpse of green is all you are longing for spiritually. “God, if only I could get a peek of new growth.”
Paul gave the Colossian church a word of encouragement in this regard. When he wrote the letter of Colossians to them, he was agonized and longed for them to be knit together in strong ties of love. He knew that community would be crucial to their faith. They needed one another. But he didn’t leave it at that. Instead, he reminded them, “Hey, ya’ll are confident in your decision to ask Jesus in your heart. But don’t stop there. Be sure to follow him.” Ok, maybe Paul didn’t have an Appalachian accent, but I can hear his heart for them, especially in Colossians 2:7, our key verse from above. So let’s break down Paul’s admonition into a prayer for a new season of growth.
Lord, deepen my roots in this season.
“let your roots grow down into him..”
While we long for those green leaves in our lives or a sign that God is ushering in fresh fruit, the fruit won’t develop without the roots. The deeper the roots, the lusher the plant. The same is true with our hearts rooted in Christ. Paul is reminding us that shallow roots won’t hold much fruit. A plant with shallow roots might grow fruit quickly, but its season will be cut short without relying on the deep, deep love of Jesus. In his letter to the Ephesians, he said it this way:
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17
You see, learning to trust God day by day, moment by moment, is the path to deeper roots. And deeper roots? They bring the green. Green is good, right?
Father, give me fresh ideas to build my life on You.
“and let your lives be built on him…”
Building deep roots requires intentionality. Unfortunately, we live in such a distracted world and the enemy makes it his job to kill, steal and destroy. If we want to see fresh growth and new life, then we’ve got to be purposeful to hone and own the growing process. Below are a few ideas to spark some fresh ways to center your life in Christ.
- Read a book of the Bible you’ve never read all the way through.
- Find a prayer partner to text each day.
- Grab a new devotional and read it in the parent pickup line (or wherever!)
- Use a prayer calendar as a reminder to pray for your family.
- Take a class on prayer.
Lord, grow my ability to know and retain truth.
“Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught…”
Paul knew that the Colossian church had heard the truth of the gospel. But he wanted them to have a strong faith, one that wouldn’t wilt at the first dry spell. He longed for them to have a faith with deep roots that could withstand any storm.
Sometimes I’m like Dory on Finding Nemo; I suffer from spiritual short-term memory loss. I have to remind myself that if God said it, then it cannot change. So when I’ve heard a fresh truth through a friend or a sermon or a social media post, then I pause and pray, asking God to help me remember it.
God, thank You for a heart overflowing with gratitude.
“and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Gratitude promotes growth like nothing else can. It’s the fertilizer to a beautiful life garden. A little later in Paul’s letter to the Colossian church, he says, “Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”(Colossians 4:2) When we know God’s promises and purposefully remember them, then they act as words of living water that refresh and revitalize, providing deep roots that promote new growth.
Let’s pray Colossians 2:7 together!
A PRAYER FOR A NEW SEASON OF GROWTH
Lord, deepen my roots in this season. I long for nothing more than a life grounded in Your love. Give me fresh ideas to act as fertilizer for solid growth. Help me remember Your principles and retain Your promises in my heart. May they flow through me and into the lives of my children. Thank you, Jesus, for Your love. I don’t know where I’d be without it. Make me a channel of Your love so that my children can see You more clearly. Fill my heart with fresh gratitude for this season. Amen.
