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"That you, being rooted and grounded in 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; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Text: Ephesians 3:17-19

FASCINATING INSIGHTS

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church is wonderfully insightful. Each petition reveals much about the spiritual maturity of the apostle.

ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE

The third petition is even more profound, for here Paul prayed for the believer to comprehend the love of God and to be filled with it.

Two ideas were combined together in this phrase, “rooted and grounded”.

1. Rooted

This imagery is a botanic one. As plants need roots, so the Christian must have his roots in God and His love.

2. Grounded

This imagery is an architectural one. The reference is to the foundation of a building.

The two ideas are quite different, one from the other. However, both have to do with the fundamentals. Both imageries emphasize the same thing!

FOCUS ON LOVE

Why was there this emphasis on love? Love for God should be the most fundamental of responses to God. Love for God really begins with God Himself. God’s plan of salvation stemmed from His great love for mankind.

But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us.
EPHESIANS 2:4

The theme of love was also very strong in the writings of Paul. Let us look at two other texts that speak of this same love.

Now hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
ROMANS 5:5, 8

Have we found faith and salvation in Christ Jesus? Then we must seek to become rooted and grounded in the love of God. We must ever seek to discover more of God’s love for us and by so doing, become rooted and grounded in love for Him.