Family Resemblances

I have been going through old photos recently and can't help but notice family resemblances. There are obvious physical similarities. But beyond those, we also share common nonphysical interests. Because of our common interests, we are a close-knit family. But more important than that family tree is another tree, and a more important family likeness.

Root; source--establish or tear out

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in low, 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 Christ" (Ephesians 3:17-19; NASB).

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the 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 years ago. It seemed 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 like a tree planted by streams of water that yields it fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."

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 stream, 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."

Our fruitfulness comes from our continuing connection with the True Vine, who is Christ, pruning by His Father, and is really the fruit of the Spirit.

Jesus said in John 15: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes so that it may bear more fruit....Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing" (verses 1-2, 4-5).

What is this fruit? Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23a: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

And there is more: "Against such things there is now law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another" (Galatians 5:23b-26).

Our walk--our daily life in Christ--reflects this daily crucifixion--humility instead of boastfulness, compassion instead of challenging, generosity instead of envying--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control--as the Father prunes us to make us more fruitful to His glory.