We all have days when people affect us. Their comments hurt. Their offenses make us angry. This scripture is a prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesians. These people were being persecuted and their lives at risk. They certainly understood offense. I’m guessing they would wonder why we’re so touchy about little comments when they dealt with flogging and stoning. That’s not saying our verbal attacks are not hurtful or harmful.
Paul was saying that the key to being grounded in days of persecution is being grounded in God’s love. If God be for me, who can be against me? I have frequently been moved from the truth “God loves me” by attacks from others. But we can be grounded and rooted in God’s love that will insulate us from the attacks. An electrician will “ground” a circuit so you won’t receive a shock. A tree is grounded with deep roots to keep a storm from uprooting it.
Knowing and believing God’s love for you will root you from being tossed about in storms. Being grounded in God’s love for you will ground you from an electrical current of animosity from someone at work.
Knowing mentally that God loves you is a start. But believing it and thinking it and saying it to yourself is how you become rooted and grounded in it. You determine not to allow anybody or anything to uproot you from God’s love. You begin by accepting and receiving God’s love for you through receiving Jesus as your Savior. But you grow in that love relationship by talking with Him and finding out what His Word says to you. Knowing that God loves you and personally cares about everything that pertains to you. When you’re hurt, talk to Him about it and ask Him to heal your hurt. Then pray for the one who hurt you and forgive them. That way you don’t allow somebody else to short circuit God’s love to you. You won’t allow someone to uproot you from your position in God’s family.
Confession: Father, I receive your love for me as demonstrated in your sending Jesus as my savior. I also choose to believe you love me in spite of my performance. I am your very own child and you are my loving Heavenly Father. I ask you to heal my hurts and hold me in your love and compassion today. In spite of what others may say or do to me, I stay grounded in our relationship. You never leave me or forsake me. If God be for me, who can be against me?
