Article January 10, 1925 Issue

"Rooted and grounded in love"

VIRGINIA C. CARR

"Rooted and grounded in love"! What an abiding sense of establishment and nourishment in divine Principle these words of Paul bring to us! Recently in a Sunday school class this phrase, which occurred in the Lesson-Sermon, was discussed. It was asked, "What does it mean to be 'rooted and grounded in love'?" Then one remembered that a plant through its roots takes hold of the ground so firmly that it cannot be upset or displaced, and that it is fed and nourished through its roots. This gave much food for thought. Later, it was found that a root is defined as "a growing point, functioning as an organ of absorption, a food reservoir, or means of ... support;" also, as "the part of an organ by which it [the plant] is attached," "a foundation, basis, ground." Further information was given that most roots are provided with a root cap which protects the root, and "enables it to penetrate the soil without injury to the growing point." In the light of this it was recognized that we should pray to be "rooted and grounded in love," that we may "be filled with all the fulness of God."

Are not our hungerings and thirstings for righteousness—our strong desires for a knowledge of God—our roots, which enable us to take hold of the eternal facts of being and find our establishment therein? When we take hold of God as divine Principle, and partake of the unchanging, eternal, inexhaustible, harmonious qualities of divine Mind, we are being rooted in Love; for divine Principle is Love. Love is the beatific presence whose nature is ever to bless. The blessing Love imparts is nothing less than perfection,—"all the fulness of God."

Our God is infinite. The recognition of this fact is the growing point for us. There can be no limit to our development and unfoldment as God's infinite ideas. In the little plant which has over its growing point a root cap, we find illustrated Love's perfect protection at every stage of our unfoldment. How many of us have awaited with joyous anticipation the first messenger of spring on the hillsides! The miracle of the little plant whose tiny white starry flowers push their way through the frozen ground, so delicately beautiful, and yet how brave! This spring messenger has found the secret of growth; and so may we. Mrs. Eddy writes in "No and Yes" (p. 19), "While material man and the physical senses receive no spiritual idea, and feel no sensation of divine Love, spiritual man and his spiritual senses are drinking in the nature and essence of the individual infinite."

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