Three ways to support our walk with Christ - a reflection from a member of the staff team.
In Ephesians 3, Paul talks about Jesus revealing himself to us in order for us to receive the riches and fullness of God but also, he prays that we are also rooted in Christ. I would love for us to look into what this looks like for us.
Firstly, take a couple of minutes thinking about the moment Jesus revealed himself to you. How did it make you feel? What was it like knowing you have just inherited riches to strengthen you, riches of unconditional love and a fast pass to heaven (or when was the moment you wanted a more of a purposeful life)?
I remember, attending a Christian camp; being in the middle of a wet field in sunny North Wales listening to a grown man preaching about his testimony and the moment Christ was revealed. Floods of tears were streaming down his face. This 6ft rugby player of man was full on crying. I have never as a teenager witnessed a man crying before especially like this and my heart flickered. Christ revealed himself to this man in such a heart wrenching way that I knew I wanted the same. I felt the love for this man from Christ and the love for Christ from this man. This kind of love was unconditional and beautiful. My heart ached for this love, so I then opened up and allowed Christ to reveal Himself to me.
Christ revealing himself to you is the start of your new journey into receiving the riches and fullness of God. You might wonder what kind of riches Paul talks about. Well, following on from the story I just shared about Christ revealing himself to me as a teenager was from John 3:16. The first gift God gave us was of course love, the second being Jesus sacrificing Himself for us and then the third being eternal life.
In Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays that we would be rooted and established in love. Being rooted always makes me think of a tree and the roots are your anchor to be grounded. In all that we do, we must be of love and in love not only for His people but for all the gentiles too. Jesus paved the way where he interacted with the outcasts, disabled and the lonely.
Love and hope is the ultimate anchor to keep us grounded and rooted to ensure we are growing and flourishing. A tree is a great analogy when we look at what sustains us in our walk with Christ. So, my question for you is what keeps you nourished?