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Think about this for a minute - Christians are to be rooted and
grounded in love. Paul says: "For this reason I bow my knees to
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according
to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through
His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may
be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and
length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God"
(Eph. 3:14-19).
Containing one hundred six words, Ephesians 3:14-19 is one of the
most incredible sentences in the Bible. This sentence represents
the beginning of Paul's prayer recorded in Ephesians 3:14-21. Paul
prays for two things:
- First: that they are granted strength in the inner man (spiritual
man - heart) by Christ dwelling in their hearts through faith.
- Second: that by being rooted and grounded in love they are able
to comprehend the love of Christ in order to be filled with all
the fullness of God.
What does it mean for Christians to be rooted and grounded in love?
Webster defines root as: "the usu. underground part of a seed plant
body . . . , functions as an organ of absorption, aeration, and
food storage or as a means of anchorage and support . . ." Likewise,
Christians must be rooted in the love of Christ wherein we feed
upon the Lord, are anchored in the Lord, and are supported by the
Lord. The word translated "grounded" comes from an architectural
term representing a strong foundation - a Christian's foundation
is upon the love of Christ.
What does Christ's love toward mankind have to do with Christians
being rooted and grounded in love to be filled in the fullness of
God - in the end yielding eternal life? If we understand the love
of God and Christ, we will love them (I John 4:19). And if we love
God and Christ, we will live in obedience to the commands of God
revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 14:15; I John 5:3).
Now ask yourself: Have I been transplanted from the lust of the
world to live in the love of Christ? Do I comprehend the love of
Christ? Am I filled with the fullness of God? If you answered "No,"
begin changing today by reading the word of God, learning of the
love of Christ motivating us to love the Lord, and keeping His commands.
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