Family Resemblances
I have been going through old photos recently and can't help but note family resemblances. If you ever met my rather extensive family, you'd see it too. I take after our dad's side and my sister after our mom's side in looks. Those are the obvious physical similarities. But beyond those, we also share common nonphysical interests--the exception being my never getting into golf. Because of our common interests, we are a close knit family. But more eternally important than that family tree is another tree, and a more important family likeness.
ROOT
(n) Source
(v) Establish or tear out
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-17; NASB)
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19; ESV)
I decided to look this up--root it up?--after a Bible study some months ago. It seems that being rooted and grounded in God's love provides both source and establishment of our life and our growth and our fruitfulness.
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is a like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
TREE RINGS
Trees grow true
To their seed
Yet influenced
By soil, sun, water,
Storm and root,
Shadow and knife,
Each season marks
A ring of life
Unique though
Trees grow true
To their seed.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the sttream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
Psalm 92:12-15
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
1 John 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.