Apr 27 - Rooted in Love

Read Ephesians 3:14-21

Context: Paul wrote to the Ephesians while he was in prison so they could better understand God's purposes for the church. He has just finished proclaiming God's will that the Gentiles be joint heirs with Israel through the promise of Christ.

Text:
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)
Footnotes:
Ephesians 3:15 Or whom all fatherhood
taken from www.biblegateway.com

When I think about being 'rooted and established', I can't help but think of some Missouri Primrose plants I purchased about fifteen years ago. They had somewhat leggy stems and pretty pink cup-like blossoms. Over the course of the year these plants thickened up. They bloom in early summer and the foliage turns a rusty color in the fall. The second year they came back with vigor, and in the third year they pretty much took over the garden.

I decided to rip them out and plant something less invasive. I quickly learned that the foot long stems had roots that were much longer and branched everywhere. New stems would grow from any piece of root. To take these flowers out of the garden effectively I would have to take out all of the dirt and start over. To this day I still get 50 - 100 plants that I have to remove. The roots have even extended under the sidewalk to the other side of the garden.

While these flowers are unwanted in my garden, I want Christ to be rooted in me the same way these flowers are rooted in my garden. I want his influence to so permeate my being that nothing in this world can remove it. No matter what I do I want Christ's love and power to continue to sprout in my life and to be reflected in my actions!