Our Roots in Christ

Good morning Immanuel. Our past, present, and future are rooted in the faithfulness of Christ.

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him” (Isaiah 51:1-2).

Photo by おにぎり on Unsplash

In 1976, Alex Haley published his novel "Roots: The Saga of an American Family," in which he attempts to trace his roots back to Africa. This novel eventually became a movie/mini-series, and like many African Americans growing up in the '80s and '90s, I watched all eight hours with a mix of emotions. Years later, my own journey to find my roots left me in awe of God's kindness in preserving my ancestors through unimaginable trouble so that I would be here in 2023. Looking back at my roots reminded me of painful history, but it also comforted me to see the Lord's mercy and sustaining power working against all odds.

In Isaiah 51, the Lord comforted His discouraged people with a reminder about their roots. Their past was the story of God's faithfulness against all odds. They were hewn from a rock. They were dug out from a quarry. Against all odds, God birthed an entire nation through one elderly couple! No matter how bleak their present circumstances were, the God who worked against all odds in Abraham was mighty to save and able to restore. This is our hope today. God is mighty to save and able to restore—consider our roots! We were spiritually dead, but against all odds, God made us alive in Christ. We were alienated, but by the grace of God, we were brought near through Christ's blood. Christ Himself is our new reality—the roots that redefine our past, establish us in the present, and secure our future. From generation to generation, He is faithful! May we be encouraged as we remember our roots in Him!

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Juneteenth Resources

• 9 Things You Should Know About Juneteenth by Joe Carter

• ‘He Looks Like Me!’: Representation and the Possibility of Belonging by David Gundersen

• Tim Keller on Race, Justice, and Other Uncontroversial Stuff by Matt Smethurst & Tim Keller