Rooted & Grounded

     Have you ever just stopped and taken the time to analyze what you're thinking about? Or to reflect on what it is that you talk about? To realize what it is you feel about things? According to the Bible, "out of the heart, the mouth speaks." Since our words are a good gauge for what our hearts are focused on, taking the time to see what I was feeling, thinking, and talking about gave me a pretty strong wake-up call as to where my heart has been lately. I realized that I talk about correction, and I talk about encouragement...But I rarely ever just speak love.

     As I began to drink that in, the phrase "rooted and grounded" kept coming up in my mind (probably because several people that I know have used the phrase in front of me lately). Suddenly, a passage from Ephesians slammed right into the front of my mind.

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)

     Although there is so much weight to these verses as far as what it signifies in our relationship to God, it first spoke to me about my relationship with myself. If I’m rooted and grounded in love, my words, my heart, and my actions should reflect that love. What I speak should be passing through a filter of love. In fact, nothing else besides love should be pouring out of me. Righteousness, passion, rebuke, yes. But only when they are coming from a foundation of love. When I first realized that, I thought it seemed impossible, but as I thought about these verses more, I realized that they contain the promise and the truth that we need in order to live and love in that way. 

     There is so much hope and strength in the simple phrase “rooted and grounded.” To be rooted speaks of life and growth, with the image of being planted in something that can give nutrients. Think of a flower, tenderly rooted in the soil that feeds it. On the other hand, grounded rings with a strength and vitality that comes from the firm assurance of being planted on something unwavering. Grounded means that you stand in strength and balance, not toppling over or living in uncertainty or fear. So being rooted and grounded in love promises us not only that we will be fed by something beautiful, but that we will be strong and filled with vitality because of it. Choosing love isn't something that has to be draining or difficult, but rather it reminds us that we are planted in something that brings the fulfillment of God and of His power in our lives.

     It is so beautiful that this is not something that Paul is telling us we “might” become one day. He says that we are rooted and grounded in love. Love is something that has been given to us, and Paul is simply praying for empowerment and increase of love in our lives. We don’t have to strive to earn love, or work to become worthy of love. It is freely given to us, and all that we need to do is seize it.

     I adore that the love Paul talks about bears the mark of absolute simplicity, while also promising the deepest ocean of adventure. Making the decision to stand in love is simple (if not always easy), yet when we do so, we are suddenly promised that we will be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Choosing love means we are on our way to understanding the God of the universe in all of his splendor and mystery and power. 

     What are you rooted in today? You get to choose where to plant yourself, but remember this: you’re going to be fed from what you’re rooted in, and we all have roots in something. So when you’re rooted in love, you have the authority not to take in or give out anything that does not come from love. Insecurity? Anger? Selfishness? Fear? You don’t have to consume those things. You don’t have to root yourself in those things, and you certainly don’t have to give out those things. You have the discernment to recognize them as lies and the authority to speak love into your life, and to rebuke all of the things that do not taste of love. What we believe in our hearts we speak with our mouths, and what we speak has the authority to bring life or death. What your roots absorb swims up your body into your mind and heart, so choose today to accept the love given to you and to refuse anything less. When we start consuming love, we will stop consuming lies of fear, intimidation, condemnation, and anger. When we start consuming love, and love flows through us, our minds will begin to be renewed. When we consume love, we can speak love. We can be love.

     

     The best part of all of this? Love has a name. Love is a person. His name is Jesus. We don’t have to try to fix our eyes on a concept or root ourselves in an abstract and intangible idea of love. We can look at Jesus. We can know that choosing to accept love and be love means that we are coming closer to the Father's heart and knowing Him more, which should always be our strongest passion and desire. We know that this love is not the world's empty promise of love, but rather the heart of our Savior. And in His infinite being, there is infinite love. Love promises increase. There is always more love for you.