Newsletter Articles
Rooted in Him – Excerpt
God uses many examples and comparisons throughout the Bible to help us, His children, understand what He is doing in us as we remain in vital union with Him. In John 15 our union with Him is described as that of a vine and a branch; in 1 John 1:7 He speaks of us walking in the light; and Colossians 2:6-7 describes our relationship with Him as living with, being rooted in, and being built up in Him. Psalms 1:1-3 tells us that the person who walks with the Lord, delighting in His Word, is like a tree planted by streams of water:
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)
Living in this world is not easy! Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). Knowing and truly walking with the Lord makes all the difference.
Imagine yourself taking a walk with someone you love. You walk side-by-side, spending time just being together and talking to each other. As you walk, you may discuss things around you or what is going on in your lives. Sometimes you may share your joys, sorrows, or struggles, or you may share words of love for each other. Still other times you may just enjoy each other’s presence. The idea of this walk is being together and sharing yourselves with each other. One person doesn’t do all the talking; it is give and take—listening and responding to each other.
Now, think about your walk with the Lord. Are you the one who does all the talking, or do you listen to Him, too? He has spoken to us in His Word, the Bible. How often do you listen to Him by reading what He has said in His Word? So often in my personal walk with the Lord, He will bring to my mind what He has said in His Word that will give me the answers I am seeking and the comfort I need, or He will give me new insights into what He is teaching me or is about to teach me.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 says:
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.
Because this tree is rooted by the water, the heat from the beating sun is not a problem; in fact, that sun is needed just as the water is needed in order for the tree to flourish and bear fruit. When we are rooted in Him, the trials and the difficulties of life are not a problem. The trials we go through help us bear fruit. Even when there is drought, that tree still bears fruit. When we are rooted in Him, we will continue to bear fruit even when we go through long periods of difficulty.
You may be wondering, “What fruit?” Galatians 5:22-23a says:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
As we walk with Him and are rooted in Him, we can go through all the difficulties this life brings and still be filled with and touch others with His love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. Along with that, our lives can exhibit self-control and forbearance, which is the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining.[1]
What a difference this would make in our own lives and in the lives of those we touch if we would bear this fruit! Now, fruit does not pop up on a tree or a plant instantly; it is produced gradually. The fruit of the Spirit is no different; it is produced gradually in us by the Holy Spirit.
This devotional, Rooted in Him, contains 30 daily readings that we hope will encourage you as you walk with Jesus Christ, rooted and grounded in Him.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, 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 all the fullness of God.
Now 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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(Ephesians 3:17b-21)
[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbearance