“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world” - John 16:33 (NIV)
There is a well known plant technology where two plants are joined together to grow as one stock, particularly where a weaker plant was finding it hard to take root and flower. The advantages of grafting is that once enjoined the new plant acquires some of the resilient characteristics of the other stock. Where it could have been easily withered it is grafted on to the hardened features of its new parent stem. In time you may not even notice the difference.
As believers we too have been grafted on to the root stock of Jesus. “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought to him through the blood of Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Like taking on a new citizenship grafting comes with full blessings of its root parent stock. The Apostle Paul pointed to the Gentile believers who worried that they were going to be assigned as second class citizens. “And this is God’s plan: Both Gentile and Jews who believe the Good News share equally the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise and blessing because they belong to Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6).
As believers we have been fully joined with Christ to enjoy all the full blessings of the children of God. When it experiences hard winds the grafted plant is always held up by its parent root stock. Likewise aside from enjoying those blessing as part of one stem in Christ when we also experience troubles of any kind we are at peace. This is because of our new life in Christ. We are held up firmly and can withstand all tremors to bask in the full sun of His glory because we are firmly rooted in Him.
How comforting to know you are held up by someone far much stronger who can help you withstand all storms.
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, because I am rooted in Jesus Christ, I pray in his loving grace to enjoy all His full blessings and have peace that He will uphold me to withstand any challenges that come my way!
Related upcoming events
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27/04/2024 - 28/04/2024 All day“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1).
In the wildlife, a common feature is predatory animals chasing after less ferocious ones, which on a bad day become good dinner. Through the savannah plains of Africa the antelope tends to suffer that fate. After a long chase from a mighty lion, cheetah or leopard; antelopes that survive tend to retreat to a fresh water spot. There they gladly refresh their quench with streams of water.
King David, must have been more familiar with deer, as there are more common in the Northern Hemisphere. For us in the tropics we can substitute the deer with our antelope, commonly chased by predators. After a long chase, of course all pant for pints of water.
The significance of this metaphor is that whenever we encounter any situation that puts us on a chase, where do we run to! Habakuk 3:19 says, “The Lord God give my strength. He helps me run fast like deer. He leads me safely on the mountains” (Habakuk 3:19).
Two things of note here. The Lord can make us run as fast as the fastest antelope being chased by a predator to a well of safety. And of course, as we run, we have that the well of God to end up to and refresh ourselves! This is why David wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today like the antelopes of the wildlife I run to you, to that well of life, which refreshes my soul, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
