Devotional: Engrafted in Him

Engrafted in Him

Do you understand what it means to be "engrafted" or "to graft" something? In horticulture, it means to cut a slot in the stem of a plant and place another plant-life in it so that the two combine and growth continues. This is generally only successful between two closely-related species. In thinking about this, it sheds a little light on James 1:21 which says, "...receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

First of all, we are instructed to humbly receive the Word of God. The next verse states: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). The reason it is important to humbly receive the Word of God is because self-deception is thinking you are doing the Word just because you know the Word. Think again! We can be puffed up with knowledge and no good to God. Therefore, it is important that we "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Notice James said this engrafted Word is able to save our souls. As a three-part being, humans are spirit, soul, and body. The soulish part of a person is their mind, will and emotions. So this is good news - God's engrafted Word is able to save my soul (my mind, my will and my emotions). I don't know about you, but if I struggle in any area, it's got to be with one of those three! This is why I cling to the Word of God -- it saves me... from me.

So now look closer at this word "engrafted" and think again about the meaning. It insinuates that a cut is made in one species so that another closely-related species can be placed in the cut resulting in growth. James said the Word of God is engrafted into those who will receive it. This would explain why God's Word is likened to a two-edged sword. I heard one minister say that one side cuts the devil and the other side cuts us. When God's Word is placed in our mouth and we use it like Jesus did when He said to Satan, "It is written..." it cuts the devil. But on the other hand, God's Word often steps on our toes with correction and help; so in short, the word "engrafted" means "to wound."

David expressed his need to God like this: "But You, O God the Lord, deal with me for Your name's sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me" (Psalm 109:21-22). David sought God and ASKED Him to deal with him. Then he said his heart (the part of us God deals with) was wounded within him. This is what happens in order for growth to occur. The Word of God, which is able to save us, comes in, makes a cut or a wound, and its life then connects with the tissue of our life to bring growth. This is so amazing because successful engrafting can only take place between two closely-related species. We are new creations IN Christ Jesus. We have taken on His nature; we have become like Him. The unbeliever cannot receive the Word, because there is no similarity. But the believer can receive the engrafted Word because they are like Him! Again, using horticulture as our example, when one plant is engrafted into another, it is common for one plant to sprout and produce the blooms of the other plant on its stems. As Christians, this is our fruit-bearing stage that gives glory to God. "You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples" (John 15:8).

Another amazing fact is that as we remember "engrafting" cannot take place without wounding we gain a better understanding of the love of Jesus when we read Isaiah's predictions of His sufferings. "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was WOUNDED for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4-5). When He was wounded for our sins, not His own, a spiritual cut was made that allowed us to be placed IN CHRIST. If He had not been wounded, there would have been no cut and no place for us. So how can we be haughty? We can only receive the engrafted Word with meekness and humility because "If you brag, remember that you don't support the root, the root supports you" (Romans 11:18b). He did it; not us. He was cut first, so that we could be engrafted into Him. And now we have the privilege of allowing His nature to overtake our nature so that others will see Him in us.