“I pray…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.”
Ephesians 3:16-17
Some say the universe began with a Big Bang. But it actually began with a big explosion: the explosion of God’s infinite love! The uncontainable, unquenchable love of God got the universe going. God simply could not hold His love to Himself or contain it. His love by its very nature had to be shared, and so God created both celestial and human beings on which to shower self-giving love. Because “God is love” (1 John 4:8), by virtue of His very essence, He must give Himself to others. For God has always counted it more blessed to give than to receive. The mutual and unitive love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit spilled into creation.
Karl Barth says of God’s transcendent love:
“The Son of God did not want to be God without us. He did not cling to His existence as God, but poured Himself out so that we might forever share God’s life and glory. What is then the divine essence? It is the free love, the omnipotent mercy, the holy patience of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
(Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV/2)
This is the infinite, incomprehensible love of God in which Paul prays for believers to be rooted and grounded. Paul combines both botanical and architectural metaphors asking God that the roots of our being and foundation of our lives be secured firmly in God’s unchanging love. He wants people to live in a deep awareness and joyful consciousness of God’s love. As the sun’s rays sprout a plant and cause it to grow, so we need God’s love. Thus, we sing to our Creator and Savior: “Joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, Lord of love, Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above…”. (Henry Van Dyke, “Joyful, Joyful”)
Our daily awareness of God’s love for us grows as Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. His love present within us is the soil for our lives to be rooted and growing. The consciousness of God’s endless love can be nurtured by meditating on God’s Word. Ponder the following scriptures about God’s love for you:
- “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10
- “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
- “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3
- “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace, you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5
THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
“My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.” Brennan Manning
