Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, The "root" is taken from the field of nature — the "grounding," or founding, from the world of art. The "root" is laid in the soil to imbibe its virtues — the "foundation" is placed on its base to sustain the edifice. The "root" grows, and produces fruit — the "foundation" stands, and gives strength. The "root" needs continual supply — the "foundation" rests in its completeness, and is alway. Now see how well the two blend together to make one whole. The grand foundation or "ground" of everything is "love" — God's love. Because "God is love," therefore His love goes forth to sinners. Because His love went forth to sinners, He provided a way by which He could restore sinners back again to happiness and to Himself — and so Jesus died for them. And since Jesus died for sinners, therefore God chose me, drew me, pardoned me, spoke peace to me. And having loved us enough to do this, what will not the same love do? — what prayer will He not hear? — what good thing can He withhold? That is a foundation. It wilt support anything — any comfort, any work, any hope I ever choose to build upon it. It is like some mathematical proposition, which cannot be assailed, and. the whole problem is actually contained within it, and only wants to be worked out. It stands to the soul like solid adamant to the whole temple — a foundation. Now the "root." I cast my affections down into the character and the being of God; I wind them about His attributes; I strike them into His promises; I drive them deep into His faithfulness. There, the "roots" of my affection lie. They take up, they drink in, the nature of the love they live in; — they are always assimilating them. selves to it, and they send up its sweet savour by little, silent threads, which are always running to the fountain of life. My words, my actions, my whole outer being, cannot choose but mould itself to them, and take that love. Because of those secret processes of the "roots" which are in Christ, I love. I love simply because I am "rooted in love." So the "foundation" supplied the strong argument, and then the "root" gave the essence of the necessity for the new nature. My intellect rests upon its "foundation"; and my heart draws its tenderness from its "root." I can edify myself in my "grounding," and I am sanctified in my "rooting." I grow by resting, and by double processes my inner life is made and assured. And yet both owe themselves to one simple thing, and that one simple thing is "love," and that love is of Christ: — "Rooted and grounded in love." (J. Vaughan, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, |
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