The Almighty God decides the time, place and the task for each and every person born on the earth and sends them accordingly. Living in those circumstances, drawing strength from that to rise above and fulfilling the assigned task for life is the purpose of life. The spiritual strength comes from above, that helps us to grow and it becomes the root for our life. Many however, remain stuck in and under the control of the same situations, failing to have a firm root and keep on wandering in the wilderness of life without purpose. They become like fallen leaves of a tree carried about by the winds of new ideas and fads.
Bearing a firm root in this fast-changing world – The question first is why should one take root and not remain free? God planted the Garden of Eden with all the fruits, gold, precious stones and all that was required for someone to live in comfort (Genesis 2:8-15). Then He ‘took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it’. With the dominion rights over everything, the task was to ‘subdue the earth and dominate it’ (Genesis 1:28). Thus, the Garden of Eden became the place of operations for Adam and Eve to increase the area of the Garden. Their root was to be in the abundance of that place and then move to change the desolate and dark places outside, by taking the light of God within them.
In the parable of the sower, Lord Jesus taught, ‘The sower sows the Word’ (Mark 4:14-15). Those who are planted on the wayside, ‘Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts’. The wayside is the land made hard by constant movement over it and represents people with hardened hearts due to seeking various views. The forces of evil actively seek the hearers of the Word, to steal and prevent it from taking root in the heart. Adam and Eve were created and formation and development of their souls, like every believer, was continuing with daily visits by God. It is said that the ‘Word reads you as you read the Word’ to help you rise higher in understanding and faith
The Word from God to Adam and Eve was about their being in God’s image and likeness; dominion rights over everything and fruit of all the trees of the Garden except only one. Added to this was the warning about death and separation from God with restraint not to eat from only one tree. The Word to them from Satan was about doubting God’s love; about His abundance in withholding the fruit of ‘the one tree’; preventing them from being independent of Him and becoming like God. They were given free-will by the Omniscient, All-Knowing God, to take root by accepting either of the two seeds and live or die. What the devil had himself tried and failed in heaven to rise above and ‘be like the Most-High’ and suffered, in the same way, he led Adam and Eve into. He was cast down into darkness of the earth from the presence of the same Most High God, like whom he wanted to be. Exactly the same was brought upon Adam and Eve and through them on the whole of mankind, to be in desolation, lack and hard work to survive (Genesis 3:15-21).
After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah after blessing him with the blessing of Adam and said, ‘Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth’ (Genesis 9:11). To disrupt God’s plan and purpose, Satan acted through Nimrod, ‘a mighty hunter before the LORD’ (Genesis 10:9-10), for he hunted for souls to bring them into bondage and serve him, through rebellion against God. Nimrod set up the kingdom of Satan on earth by starting at Babel or Babylon, which will finally be destroyed by Lord Jesus’ second coming. Under the control of Nimrod, the people made the first attempt to be free from God’s control. They made bricks and baked them to give strength and longevity and started building a tall structure, called the Tower of Babylon. The purpose of this was to reach heaven with their own efforts and be secure from any flood in the future. The Devil’s effort is always to lead us into unbelief and then disobey and sin against God.
All the twelve disciples heard the same teaching, saw the same miraculous works and did all that they were commanded by the Lord Jesus to do. Yet, Judas Iscariot heard the voice of the devil and allowed his heart to take root in that, desiring the Messiah to set up His earthly kingdom right then. The others, though filled with fear hid themselves but remained committed to Him and the kingdom of heaven and their root became strong, to provide shade in the Word of God to all mankind.
God looks for scattering the seed of His Word in us but for that to take root, we must prepare the ground of our hearts. Once sown, the seed needs to be watered with faith, cared for with our prayers and further study and meditation on the Word of God. We submit and seek God’s help and He guides us to be fruit-bearing branches of the True Vine.
Developing a deep and strong root in God’s Word – In the Garden of Eden there were only two human beings with a clean and clear mind and heart with no other human being to teach them values of life. The evening visits of the Lord were to teach and guide them into deep faith and knowledge of His ways. To overcome the efforts of the devil, to steal the seed of the Word, we need to keep on putting more and more seed, the Word and have a strong wall of faith around us. Personal spiritual growth requires time spent alone with the Word of God, through regular reading, studying and meditating on Scripture.
Moses told the Israelites to first love the LORD with their whole beings and to keep the Word in their heart for it to take a deep root there. Then they were told to teach the Word to their children throughout the day while in the house, out somewhere and while being in their beds. They were to write the Word and bind that on their hands and on the forehead and to write the verses on their doorposts. In this manner the root will grow deep and strong through continuously the Word being before their eyes.
Second, submission to and absolute reliance on God – Deep roots reveal total dependence on God for help in every situation. The disciples understood this and sought the Saviour’s help to increase their faith (Luke 17:5) and to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). What Apostle Paul has later taught, the disciples knew that all things were by Him, through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). Looking unto Him for everything and seeking His help is logical and right.
Third, active application of faith and obedience to His Word – After struggling with the storm throughout the night, the disciples saw the Lord walking on water (Matthew 14:25-31). It was only Apostle Peter who could call out to the Lord to seek His permission to move out of the boat and walk towards Him. He did what is humanly impossible by walking on the water but when distracted by the storm, he was afraid and went under water. He called out to the Lord to save him. The seed planted in the soil needs water and manure to grow well. While regular study of the Scripture provides the nurturing water, overcoming our past beliefs, the dung of the past, becomes manure. However, if we continue to hold on to this manure of our past sins, without accepting the forgiveness of sins, it creates a bad odour of continued sinful living and an unforgiving attitude towards others also.
Fourth, moving closer to God and remaining under His shadow –As per Scripture, in the Living World (Lord Jesus), ‘was life, and the life was the light of the world’. A root connected to the source of life becomes strong and provides life giving food to the tree by drawing it from the earth. Living close to His light we receive the glory of the Saviour Lord and become like Him reflecting that into the darkness of evil and sinful lives of others. We worship Him and give Him praise, to grow strong in faith and offer prayers and supplications for this.
Fifth, commitment in times of trials and sufferings –We learn that ‘The crucible for silver and furnace for God, but the LORD tests the hearts’ (Proverbs 17:3). The trials that we face are, many times, the refining process for us. One translation terms it as ‘testing by the praise given to him’, lest we are filled with pride. Job, David and many others stayed strong, even during their sufferings and in pursuit by their enemies, while facing extreme challenges, criticisms and spiritual attacks, only because they had a strong and deep root.
Sixth, bearing fruit for others – The Son of God became Man to redeem mankind from sin and bondage to the devil. He left His Godliness in heaven to be the ‘True Vine’ to bear fruit for others by shedding His blood on the cross and resurrection. His fruit for us is salvation. Lord Jesus called Himself ‘The Vine’ and all believers are grafted onto Him as branches (John 15:5-6). We are warned by the Lord to stay rooted in Him for without Him we can do nothing. Also, a branch that bears no fruit will be cut off and put into the fire.
Seventh, being grateful for everything – The Jewish sages teach to express thanks to God on waking up and before getting out of bed, for at least eighteen things in your life. When we do this our faith grows strong, our prayers are answered by a loving God, we live with a positive attitude and we soar high for God’s glory.
By a strong commitment and working diligently on these points, we grow strongly rooted in the Lord and His Word. Our spiritual life is then, based on a strong foundation, producing good fruit by reaching out to others in and with His love. It is not a once alone work but a continuing effort throughout life on earth.
Symptoms of a deep and strong root in the Lord – Apostle Paul has identified the great change for all believers, ‘with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of God’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Earlier, God could be reached only by the God appointed High-Priest, once a year, behind the veil separating the Most-Holy place from the holy. But with the redeeming sacrifice of our Lord on the cross, the veil was torn from top to bottom granting us access to God as His children.
Saul, a Pharisee, persecuting Christians all over, was touched by Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18). As a result, his eyes, that showed every believer as an enemy, were closed and he was blinded for three days and ‘neither ate nor drank’, in repentance. God commanded Ananias, who was well aware of Saul’s past, to go and put his hand on Saul ‘so that he might receive sight’. After being assured by God, he went and laying his hands, he blessed him, And ‘immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once’. His spiritual eyes were opened and he became the great teacher and preacher, Apostle Paul who touched innumerable lives all over the world.
Once our spiritual eyes get opened and with understanding, we see the beauty of Lord Jesus. Then, the Holy Spirit in us starts the work of transformation to be like Him, having been made in His image. Apostle Peter had done the impossible of walking on water, yet denied the Lord in fear. After restoration by the Risen Lord, he could clearly define the result of being properly rooted in the Lord (2 Peter 1:3-4). He has taught, ‘As His Divine power has given us all things that pertain to life, and godliness, through the knowledge pf Him who called us to glory and virtue’. All that is needed for a life of godliness, reflecting His likeness in us is received through knowing God intimately through meditating on His Word. With this change in the earthly life, the greater blessing also follows. Through this knowledge ‘have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of His Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust’. We get blessed with eternal life and authority to face the forces of evil and be triumphant. The Saviour Lord has given His glory of the Second Adam to us to restore us into His image and likeness (John 17:22). He was fully God and Divine and fully Human and we being fully human with a sinful nature are made partly divine.
Strong in faith we walk in His ways, helping others and bringing glory to our heavenly Father. Filled to the full with the abundance of His love, we reach out to others in love. We start forgiving others, who afflict us in any manner, easily, learning to walk on ahead. Though the devil’s forces try to bring conflicting images of lies to us, the indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to discern right from wrong. Our Saviour ‘Our Lord’s command to ‘love one another’ like He has loved us becomes a little easier to follow (John 13:34). We are confronted daily with two types of seeds, the lies of the devil and the truth of God’s Word. We need to make the right decision to live in His way or follow the devil’s way, like Judas Iscariot.
The deep root in God’s Word helps us discern the lies and test everything in the light of the Word of God. Daily devotion becomes a habit and missing a day due to some situation creates a void that desires to be filled. The love of the Father in heaven is seen in His promise, ‘It shall come to pass that before they call, I would answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear’ Isaiah 65:24). Then impossible becomes possible and we rejoice in the Lord.
Just like a tall tree with deep roots in the ground can face any storm, anyone with strong faith remains strong in the tribulations of life. Our faith becomes our strength in the Lord, our Saviour, and we start reaching out to others to be of help to them. The Word of God becomes a solid foundation for their lives, helping them in everything. Let us continue to study and meditate on the Word of God daily and thus remain strong in faith.
