Day 28 — Keep Growing

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

— 2 Peter 3:18 (BSB)

These are the very last words Peter wrote in the Bible. After everything he had been through (fishing on the Sea of Galilee, following Jesus for three years, walking on water, denying Jesus three times, being forgiven, preaching to thousands, leading the church and going to prison), his last instruction was simple: “Grow.”

That’s interesting, isn’t it? Peter had been following Jesus for more than thirty years by then. You might think he’d say, “You’ve learned enough. You’re done.” But Peter knew that following Jesus is about growing, and growing never stops.

What should we grow in?

Grace. Grow in understanding how much God loves you and has forgiven you. The older you get, the more you realize how amazing His grace is.

Knowledge. Grow in knowing Jesus. Not just knowing about Him, but knowing Him personally, the way you know a good friend.

You’ve spent a lot of days growing with Rooted. That’s awesome! But this isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning. How can you keep growing after this book?

• Keep reading your Bible. Try reading one of the Gospels, or a few Psalms or Proverbs each day. Ask a parent or pastor to help you pick a reading plan.
• Keep praying. Talk to God every day, about everything.
• Stay connected to church. Keep going, keep learning, and find ways to serve.
• Find people who are a few steps ahead of you in following Jesus and learn from them.
• Memorize Scripture. Keep adding verses to your heart.
• Read good books. Look for stories of people who followed God, like the Brave for God books.
• Keep obeying. Growth happens when you do what God says, not just when you know it.

Remember Book 1? Roots don’t grow all at once. They grow a little bit every day, when no one is watching. That’s still true. Keep going, a little at a time, for the rest of your life.

And notice how Peter ended: “To Him be the glory.” That’s the point of all our growing. Not so people will think we’re great, but so Jesus gets all the glory.

Think about it: What’s one way you want to keep growing after you finish Rooted?

Try this: Make a plan for how you’ll keep growing after this book. Write down what you’ll read, when you’ll pray, and one person you could ask to help you.

Dear Jesus, I don’t want to stop growing. Help me grow in Your grace and in knowing You, every day for the rest of my life. Help me keep reading Your Word, praying and following You. To You be the glory, now and forever. Amen.