ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE

by Pastor Mitch
July 14, 2013

Being Steadfast In The Lord’s Love

The Lord’s great and wonderful love is a divine attribute that should not just be merely appreciated. It is something that we need to be established in. Paul was challenging the Ephesian Church to be spiritually strong in order to take on this endeavour. There was a pressing need for them to be rooted and grounded in love.

“That you, being rooted and grounded in love” 
Ephesians 3:17

This phrase has a combination of two imageries. First, there is a tree imagery. We are meant to have strong roots in the love of the Lord. It is something that the Lord has to do in our life. We need to be firmly rooted in His love. The second imagery has the idea of building a house. If there is no strong foundation in building a house, it will collapse. Paul wrote earlier in the book of Ephesians how, because of the Lord’s great love, while we were still dead in sin, the Lord Jesus died for us and made us alive with Him (Ephesians 2:4-5). We are to lay the foundation of love in our life and ministry. The Love of the Lord Jesus should permeate everything that we do for Him.

Having Christ At The Central Place In Our Hearts

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” 
Ephesians 3:17

Before we can be steadfast, the Lord must first dwell in our hearts. The verb “dwell” in the Greek means “to inhabit”. There is an intensified idea being brought across with reference to how the Lord is residing within us. The Lord wants to be a permanent resident within our hearts. He wants to remain with us and abide with us so that He would always be close to us. Our part is to give the Lord the central place in our hearts. It is through the constant exercising of our faith in the Lord and in His word that His love would become even more real to us. Jesus said in the text of John 14:23:

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

The Lord Jesus promised that the Father and the Son would love us when we love Him and keep His word. When we do so, the Father and the Son will make Their home with us. What a privilege!

Comprehending The Depths Of The Lord’s 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” 
Ephesians 3:18-19

As we seek to be steadfast in the Lord’s love, we will be able to grasp even more its vastness. The Lord’s love is truly far greater than we can imagine. It goes beyond any human understanding. We can discover and experience together with others the far reaching extent of the Lord’s great love for us. Steadfastness and strength are needed to enable someone to discover new wonderful truths of this divine attribute. Let’s never stop discovering the great love of Christ.

Being Filled With The Fullness Of God

“That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” 
Ephesians 3:19

As we discover the vastness of God’s love, our challenge is be filled with all that God is and represents. His perfect love would be seen in us. This is part of the continuing work of the Lord in our lives. There will come a greater capacity to do all that God wants us to do. The Lord’s love will fill so much more our life and ministry. Let’s seek to be filled with the fullness of God.

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