Oct 15 - Rooted and Grounded in Love

As thriving trees planted by the water, we stay rooted and grounded in God’s love.

Psalm 1 (New Revised Standard Version)
The Two Ways

1 Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked
or take the path that sinners tread
    or sit in the seat of scoffers,
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous,
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (New Revised Standard Version)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Reflection Notes:

Our scriptures today begin with the Psalm 1 text that compares those that follow God’s laws are like trees planted by the water - they flourish and grow abundant fruit. Paul calls this being rooted and grounded in God’s love. We flourish when we choose God’s ways for our lives - that is the way of love and it impacts our life.