Roots are Deep, But God's Love is Deeper

I Timothy 6:9-10

"The only way to get rid of the root is to kill the stump" (from Gardening Know-How) 

UALC is starting a 5-part series on "Affluenza."  Before you turn the page and say, oh boy, here goes the church again, asking me for money, I would gently, kindly, ask you to slow down, take a deep breath, and look at what scripture says to us about where we store up our treasure.

Paul tells his young disciple, Timothy, that "the love of money is the root of all evil," not that money in and of itself is evil.  Money is inanimate.  It can't breathe, it can't lie, it can't love.  But we can use it to buy things that we think will bring us happiness.  We can use it to bribe people to love us - or to obey us.  As Paul says, "those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction (v.9)"  Ouch.  Yes, the love of money can destroy us.

So what do we do?  How do we get at the root of this evil?   Here's a great place to start:

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23)

What roots have embedded themselves into my life that I need to examine, under the Holy Spirit's guidance?  Instead of just taking care of the surface and making everything look okay on the outside, ask God to give you the courage to go deeper: to get at the root, which, let's face it, is our sin.  Our desire to be in charge.  Let's aim for the roots that the Psalmist describes in Psalm 1:3

³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers

Lord, I've got roots that have established residency in my heart, and I want them out.  Give me the strength to face the sinful roots of pride, envy, desire for riches and wealth, and send your Holy Spirit to send down roots of your love, your forgiveness, your joy, and your power.  Amen.