From the Inside Out

Check out this baby oak tree. Isn’t it adorable, sporting those glossy, miniature leaves on its spindly stem?

Every other spring or so our yard becomes a forest of miniature oak sprouts, peeping up over the grass. They’re birthed from the thousands of acorns produced by our neighbor’s mammoth oak tree.

Not so adorable by the dozens. They look like weeds. Thankfully most of them stop growing after being mowed down again and again.

But then there are the acorns that squirrels diligently plant among the bushes, plants, and flowers in front of the house—sometimes right at the base. A sincere effort is required to dig them all out, because their taproots grow surprisingly deep for such tiny trees.

Of course there’s good reason to reach deep. The developing oak must absorb moisture and minerals for the monumental growth that’s ahead (should the sprout be allowed to mature, that is!). The deep root also provides support for the above-ground portion.

Perhaps these two purposes were on Paul’s mind as he encouraged the Ephesian Christians to be “rooted and established in God’s love” (3:17).

But how do those root-tasks of absorbing and supporting relate particularly to God’s love?

Actually, “love” is a perfect choice for Paul’s metaphor because so many of God’s attributes come to us out of his love—such attributes as his mercy, forgiveness, grace, patience, compassion, faithfulness, goodness, attentiveness, and generosity.

To be rooted in God’s love is to draw sustenance from all that he is, in order to grow into all we can be (Isaiah 61:3b). In addition, God’s love provides stability against the winds of trouble.

Such nourishment and support for our spiritual lives is essentially found in his Word, the Bible. That’s where we learn about the many facets of God’s love:

• His mercy—so abundant it covers every sin (Psalm 86:15)
• His forgiveness—so complete it washes us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18)
• His grace—so generous it overflows (Romans 5:17)
• His patience—so extreme, he endures our pride and self-will, waiting for us to come to him (2 Peter 3:9)
• His compassion—so reliable it never fails (Lamentations 3:22)
• His faithfulness—so vast it reaches to the skies (Psalm 36:5)
• His goodness—so great he has to store it up (Psalm 31:19)
• His attentiveness—so individualized he knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7)
• His generosity—so magnanimous he supplies every need—and then some (Philippians 4:19; Psalm 40:5)

Like a far-reaching root system, this network of truths about God’s love supplies nourishing strength and firm support—especially during the winds of crisis like we’re enduring right now.

God’s love also sustains us against fear and uncertainty. Again, his comfort and assurance are found in the Bible—familiar passages like Psalm 23, Psalm 56:3-4, and Philippians 4:6-7.

But there are many more—very appropriate for these days of battle against the coronavirus.

For example:

Are you wondering whether you can endure until it’s over?

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens.”

–Psalm 68:14

“You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

–Psalm 59:16-17

(And don’t forget Matthew 6:26-27!)

Do worries refuse to budge from your thoughts?

“When anxiety was great within me

your consolation brought me joy.”

–Psalm 94:19*

Are there difficulties to be overcome?

“Lord, hear my prayer,

listen to my cry for mercy;

in your faithfulness and righteousness

come to my relief…

…Let the morning bring me words

of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.”

–Psalm 143:1, 8

Reach deep into the rich soil of God’s loving assurance, provided among the pages of his Word.

The result will be peace (Isaiah 26:3).

*What does that last line mean?  Just what we’re seeking to accomplish in this post:  joyful consolation through the contemplation of God’s attributes, affirmations, and promises.

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