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Back in the late 60s, early 70s, there was a group of Christians called the Jesus Freaks. These were a group of people, hippies really, who “found” Jesus, and had a lot of fervor in doing so. They preached in the revival way about the Lord, and then they suddenly they disappeared.
Faith is a powerful thing. It can push us in a strong and emotional way. But if we don’t nurture that faith, if we don’t care for it, it will go away. It will wither and die.
What happened to the Jesus Freaks in the 60s and 70s is the very thing Jesus warns about in His parable today. It is such an important parable that it is one of the few that the Disciples ask Jesus what it means and one of the few He takes an extended amount of time to explain.
There are a lot of different things in life that can come after our faith and try to destroy it. If our faith is to remain, we need to nurture it. We need to make sure it has strong roots so that it will continue to grow.
This is something I have found in my own life. As I said last week, there have been times when the forces around me have worked to keep me from my relationship with God. Even when I have neglected God and failed to develop my relationship, I have always come back. I’ve always come back because those roots of my faith have been firmly planted.
As Jesus says, this comes from understanding. That understanding comes from a lifetime of work and learning. It comes from the help that others, my mentors and teachers, have instilled from me since an early age.
This is why Christian Formation is so important, whether you’re 4 or 84. The more understanding, the more nurturing, we receive, the more likely we are to whether the storms that come to challenge our faith.
Keep growing, understanding, and nurturing. Make sure your roots, the foundations of your faith, are planted strongly. Make sure they are planted strongly in Jesus. Only in this way can you weather any storm. Only this way can you keep your faith from dying.