Growing In Divine Love

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;” (Eph 3:17-18 AV)

 Using the words rooted and grounded is fascinating.  And presents a challenge as well.  The word ‘rooted’ means to root.  Or, to grow roots in the ground.  The word ‘grounded’ means to make stable.  Thinking of a plant, because it lives, it grows roots.  It seeks to penetrate the life-giving soil in which it finds itself.  The deeper it goes, the more plentiful the nourishment.  The plant does by nature what we must do by choice.  We must choose to penetrate the love of God and find our hope, affirmation, and purpose therein.  The concept of grounding suggests a balanced and planned direction of that growth.  Growing only on the leeward side will cause the tree to fall under its own weight.  Growing straight down will cause the tree to dry up and die.  The tree must ground itself by spreading out its roots and tapping as much moisture and nutrients as it can.  All living things have an inherent pattern of growth.  Even when a living thing is dying, it is still growing.  The great Apostle, Paul, shares with the church at Ephesus the key to being the saint we are capable of being is to be rooted and grounded in the love of God.  Only then can we begin to comprehend just how gracious and caring our God truly is.

Being rooted and grounded in the love of God is a difficult thing in that we do not have a perfect example of it in life.  Our parents, teachers, pastors, spouses, and children love us deeply.  But their love can wane from time to time.  It can become fickle depending on our love for them.  Human love, although very fulfilling, is nothing compared to divine love.  This love is not something we can immerse ourselves in and never have to increase from day to day.  We cannot comprehend divine unconditional love.  It is something in which we need to meditate and experience.  How can we understand something which we cannot compare to that which we do understand?  Well, we can look for and pray for manifestations of this love.

When God chooses not to chasten us when He has every right to, that is divine unconditional love.  When He puts up with our human failures and compassionately gives us countless opportunities to learn the same lessons over and again, that is divine unconditional love.  I think of Israel in the wilderness wander and how much God put up with them.  He does the same, and more, with us.  If we stop and think of the countless times He has spoken to us, encouraged us, and challenged us by the reading and preaching of His word, we will see divine unconditional love.  The one that impacts me the most is God’s forgiveness and tenderness.  I have gone to Him innumerable times seeking His forgiveness and understanding when I sin against Him and heaven.  Every time, He forgives.  That is divine unconditional love.  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit as our comforter and guide is the most obvious manifestation of divine unconditional love.  And, the hope of eternal life despite who and what we are is the ultimate manifestation of His unconditional love.  Jesus Christ died for our sin.  He endured the cross that the wrath of almighty God might rest on Him.  Because His wrath rested upon Jesus, His boundless love rests upon us.

Are we discouraged?  Think about His love.  Let the mind go deep.  Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind all those times when divine love was most obvious.  Meditate on how His love continues, unabated, and from one moment to the next.  The love of God is that which the soul anchors and can withstand the trouble of life and the temptations of the soul.  It is the love of God to which we must be rooted and grounded.  Then the devil, the world, and the flesh will have no effect.  Let the roots grow.  Stretch the mind deep.  Get the fresh water of God’s love to refresh your weary soul.  Grow!  Don’t die.  Grow in the knowledge that God loves you more than you will ever understand and allow yourself to be loved.