The Three “A’s”

Can you see the air roots hanging down?

Mike’s message on Sunday really stuck with me.  He doesn’t normally use mnemonic devices, but this message was about The Three A’s.

First, we need to accept the authority of the Word of God.

Then we need to assimilate the Word of God through listening to messages, reading the Bible, meditating on the Word, and studying the Bible.

Finally, we need to apply the Word of God in our lives.

I started thinking about a tree we have at my school.  It has these air roots that hang down to absorb water from the oh-so-humid air.  Of course it also has normal roots that run deep underground.  In the Bible, the assimilation of God’s Word into our lives is often compared to deep roots:

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

But those air roots.  Think about those for a minute.  In the same way that our underground roots anchor us and provide nourishment, our air roots do the same–only they’re getting their nourishment from the air and Satan is the prince of the power of the air.

In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God]. Ephesians 2:2

We need to starve off our air roots by deepening the roots that hold us firmly.  I’m going to pray today that God reminds me to assimilate His Word through meditation and Bible study and NOT assimilate and not the lies of the enemy and the world system through my air roots.  Join me?