>>>-------> Be Rooted in Love <-------<<<

{via here}

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:16-21

This is one of my most favorite passages in the Word. And when you combine it with Romans 8:35-39 (another of my favorites), together they pretty much cover everything. Meaning, between these two passages we are given a long list of things that cannot separate us from the love of God. I think that if we even tried to think of anything else, it would probably fall under one of the already mentioned categories. Here is what the passage in Romans says: 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

Absolutely nothing can separate us from His love. Christ's love is wide, long, high, and deep! His love continuously surrounds us. No matter where we turn, no matter where we look, no matter what we do, Christ's love is going to be found there in some way. Sure, we may make some stupid decisions sometimes, but He will never turn His back on us. 

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have; because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? '" Hebrews 13:5-6

And when Moses was leading the people to Israel, God gave him these words to say to the people:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

God has been giving His promise of love since the start of creation, to when Moses was leading the people out of Egypt, to when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, through time when Esther was made Queen, to Jonah being swallowed up by a big fish, and even through 400 years of silence when we then meet the earthly parents of Christ. And His love certainly does not stop being displayed then. 

So how do we know and experience this love?
One, through Christ himself. Having Him in our hearts and allowing Him to strengthen us and our faith. Also,  we have to be rooted and established in love. God Himself is love, if we know Him, we know love. And it is only by knowing His love that we are able to love others. 

Some days (most days), a love like this doesn't make sense and it doesn't always seem real. Especially when we experience something difficult and hard. For instance, unemployment and a tree falling on your car. The passage in Ephesians tells us that this love is a love that we do not understand. 

"...to know this love that surpasses all knowledge..." Ephesians 3:19

The only way we can remotely understand it is to persevere in faith, to stay rooted and established in love. To stay rooted and established in Christ. 

Let your roots grow deep and wide. 

Follow me! :)