“I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17-18).
For any tree, flower, or bush, it’s roots system tells its story. If the roots are healthy and deep, the tree can weather most storms or droughts. If the root system is swallow, hindered, or sickly that tree, flower, or bush doesn’t have a chance. Its end will soon come to destruction…it will die. We are no different. Sure we are not a tree or a flower or bush, but we too have a root system that tells all…whether we will live or die, spiritually. You may or may not care about our root system, but there is One who cares far deeper than we could ever imagine and His name is God.Yes, God cares about your root system.
It’s a wonder that the God of this universe cares so intensely for mankind. So much so that He sent His Son to make that way possibe to all. His desire for you is beyond any human understanding we may have yet simple enough for anyone to grasp He loves us…God loves me.
Our relationship to God matters. What we are rooted in matters to God…so much so that He told us how in Ephesians 3. We could seriously put it this way, “It’s all about the roots and the soil in which those roots dwell in.“
Our root system has nothing to do with us yet everything to do with us. The Lord taught us that the fruit we bear will be determined by the soil we are rooted in. As a child of God, Christ abides “somewhere” in our life. We know that our salvation cannot be lost, but our fruit reveals what soil we chose to be rooted in. We will give an account. We will be held responsible before the righteous God. The fruit we bear displays the soil we are rooted in. The question that deems asking ourselves is this: ‘Am I abiding in Christ?’
You see, Christ is waiting to abide in us, but are we choosing to abide in Him? Where Christ abides in a person’s life (his desires, choices, etc), determines the very soil in which his life is rooted in, therefore, our harvest is just the outflow of the soil one chose to grow in.
Did you get that? Wherever level Christ abides in an individuals life (to what degree, intensity, etc) that determines the very soil in which that person is rooted in. Your harvest is just the outflow of the soil you choose to grow in…with or without Christ.
You determine what kind of fruit you bare.
Remember the tree illustration? Healthy root system equals healthy life of tree. Healthy spirtual root system in Christ equals healthy spiritual life in Christ. Remember it has nothing to do with us yet everything to do with us.
The phrase “rooted and established in love” is our antidote to whatever situation or circumstance we find ourself in. It is the answer key to the world we live in, it is the ultimate play book of all books, it is the ultimate guidebook. Being “rooted and established in love” means that Christ, CHRIST is the author of our life, not us. It is Christ who takes up full residence and freely reigns in our life. It is where the Lord Himself finds permanent residency within our heart and we listen and obey.
The secret is no secret at all. Christ stands at the door and knocks, calling all men to Himself that no one perish. You will grow, the question is into what kind of tree? One that is planted by the rivers of life drinking deep and experiencing Him? Or one that is rooted in yourself, in the world, in what you desire but find yourself empty inside always looking for the next best thing…but never finding it?
Notice that Christ comes into our hearts (our life) “not for a temporary stay” but to abide forever. His desire for us is to live being/becoming rooted & grounded in Him, like a tree that sinks her roots deep into the rivers of water…bringing forth fruit. Christ’s desire for you is deeper than any ocean, but He will never force His way into your life or make you do something against your will. No, Christ will not deepen your root system against your will. First, you must deepen your hold on Him. He is at your door calling…will you open the door and let Him in?
You will never fail choosing Christ over this world. You will never fail grabbing onto Christ and not letting Him go. You will never fail losing this world and gaining Christ. You will never fail rooting yourself in Christ. In Christ you win!
In Christ I am SHE 