The series we will look at during Lent is  Experiencing God’s love.

We will be looking at five different pictures of what it means to live the Christian life. The five pictures are about beginning the Christian journey, and continuing it through the whole of your life, from that first meeting with Jesus until you last breath. “The beginning of the journey is about contrasts. As we move on in the journey, experiencing God’s love is about our ongoing habits and experiences growing deeper with the years.”

Have a look at this video clip

That is the seeds of a bean beginning to grow. What is interesting is that if they don’t get themselves into some sort of soil, then they will not bear fresh veg to eat.  They are growing on a piece of damp cloth, it is trick gardeners will often use to get seeds to germinate.  Leave them on the kitchen roll and they will die, they will die for lack of water and nutrients.

As a gardener or grower of fruit and veg I know when something is rooted well and secure.  I can see the positive effects it has on a plant.

What about you?
What makes you feel safe and secure?
Today’s bible reading from Psalm 1 gives us a fascinating insight into what it is to be rooted.
Lets have a look at what it has to say

 Bible reading

How well God must like you—
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.
4You’re not at all like the wicked,
who are mere windblown dust—
5Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people
6God charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row.

Psalm 1: 1-6 (The Message)

Discussion and questions

What does the Psalm say to you about being rooted?

What kind of soil do you have your roots in?

Will the soil help you develop rootedness?

Tips for being rooted

I would just like to share a few thoughts htat might help you to be rooted and secure in your relationship with God, so that you might experience his love.  They are about growing deeper roots

Connectedness
Bible study and prayer
Quiet days and retreats
A critical friend

Connectedness

It can be very easy sometimes to become isolated from other Christians.  It can be too easy to let other things crowd into the habit of meeting and sharing worship together. It can slip down the priority list with the busy lives we lead, and the next thing you know are no longer connected but disconnected.  Nicky Gumbel says that a coal that falls out of the fire will not keep warm for long, it will grow cold. If you cannot get here very week on  Sunday is it time for you to join a small group?

Bible study and prayer

When was the last time you read the bible on your own?
Most Christians find this difficult, but the risks of not doing it are serious and can sometimes be terminal. It can be too easy to live off the relationship that we used to have, the experiences that we had with God some time ago.  You will not go deeper or maintain your relation ship with Jesus and let the HS be at work transforming you if you do not put yourself in the place of being transformed.
Regular prayer and reading the bible work. Give something a try, if it doesn’t work for you then try something else, but what ever you do don’t not do it.

Quiet days and retreats

Sometimes it is good to get away and get a different perspective, sometimes it is good to get a change of scenery and look at things from a different perspective.  We all need to get away at times, it might just be 2 hrs, it might be for a whole day, Heather Vernon who was here last week organises excellent retreat days., go have a look at the website. People go to New Wine days,

A critical friend

I’m a governor at this school. I am asked to be a critical friend.  Someone who will ask hard or deeper questions – but who can encourage and give praise where it is due.
We all need critical friend who we can trsut so we can be deeper people.  It is no goof have a friend who is just critical, it is not just having someone who is a friend.  Who is that for you?
I have a critical friend called Neil and one called Ian. They ask me hard Questions, but I thank God for them.
Do you have someone? If not go out and find one.  Some people have spiritual directors who help them on their walk with God to grow deeper and be rooted.

Connectedness
Bible study and prayer
Quiet days and retreats
A critical friend

Kitchen paper or compost?

You choose