23/11/2023
LACKING OF ROOT
One reason for our barrenness is the lack of roots. What is a root? In a tree, the part that can be seen is the trunk, while the part beneath the ground, which cannot be seen, is the root. The branches have life and are visible, the roots are invisible. The roots are buried in the earth. Therefore, the roots refer to the hidden life. Those who do not have any root before the Lord will be dried up in their life. Those who do not have a hidden life, who do everything before men and have nothing special before the Lord, cannot stand the test of the cross. Brothers and sisters, let me ask you honestly, is your living only what is seen by men? Do you have any secret life before the Lord, inside your own room? If your prayers can only be heard in prayers meetings, if you only read your Bible to others, and if your works are all before men, you do not have any roots.
Do you know what the roots are? The roots are the parts that cannot be seen, that are hidden, and that are in secret. The visible parts are not the roots. Therefore, before the Lord, you must ask yourself how much of your living is actually before Him? Other than the part of your living, testimony, Bible reading, and prayer that have been done before men, how much has been done in secret? If you do not have a secret or hidden life before God and if you do not have any secret prayer, reading, or obedience, I can say very frankly that you do not have any roots. when the cross comes, it is no wonder that you cannot bear it. The only reason this is that you lack a crucial, hidden life. If you see that a brother has fallen or failed, or has come into trouble, without asking anyone, you can surely say that prior to this trouble he lost his hidden life. He lost hi hidden life during the previous weeks, months, or even years. Your spiritual life depends very much on your hidden life before God. If you cannot sustain a hidden life, you will be weak before the Lord. Therefore, you should realize the impoTherefore, you should realize the importance of the hidden life.
The shutting of the door in Matthew is a kind of root life. What did the Lord say in verse 6:6? He said that when we pray, we should enter into a private room, shut the door, and pray to the Father who is in the secret, and the Father who sees in the secret will repay us. The Lord is very particular, He said that the Father will see us in the secret. Prayer is something that can be seen. We have always thought prayer is something that can be heard; however, the Lord did not say that prayers are heard, but that prayers are seen. Many times, when we have no words before the Lord, our attitude alone is precious enough, because God is seeing and not just hearing us.
Extracted from “The Hidden Life”, CWWN, (Set 1) Vol. 11:The Present Testimony (4), Chapter 14, a preparation message given by brother Watchman Nee during the third Overcomer Conference on 22nd January 1934, published by Living Stream Ministry.