where are we rooted

The flower in good soil carries the nutrients to every part of the flower and it flourishes. It grows. It’s healthy. The flowers bloom, or the tree produces good fruit, the vine blossoms. But the same plant whose roots go deeper in bad soil, wither and die. The nutrients needed to produce fruit or beauty aren’t available. And, friend, isn’t the same true of us? If our roots are deep in The Lord, in his church, in his word, then the very things we need for abundant life are readily available. We produce fruit. Fruit of the spirit? You betcha. But our very same lives if rooted in comfort, or finances or appearances or marriage or health or any thing other HIM will eventually prove to be really awful gods, really crappy rulers of our life. Eventually, it’ll become obvious that fruit will not be brought forth and beauty will not exist. The world is poison to our life. Satan is the ruler of this world (john 12:31) and if we are rooted in anything here, eventually death is the result!

I heard just the other day that a reaction of devastation to an unmet expectation is often the sign of an idol in our heart. Man, did that sting. It is way too easy to idolize a loving marriage, finances, comfort, plans made. Eternally, these things hold so little weight. Eternally, they can’t stand. They’ll never hold up or live up to what we are placing on them – satisfaction, joy, feeling content or complete. ultimately those things have to come from the source Himself. Jesus!

BUT man how gracious we have abundant life in Him. Deeper roots in Him produce life and life abundant!