KEY VERSE:
“He [the one who is delighting in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Ps 1:3
This way of describing a righteous person, in the present passage, is for one who is delighting in God’s law and meditating on it day and night. He is described as a flourishing tree by streams of water. This picture is used in the other references above as well where it is applied to “the man who trusts in the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:8) and in Psalm 92 to “the righteous”. In John 15, Jesus applies it to the one who “remains” or “abides in him”. I take this as addressed in our case to the believer in Jesus who is walking with Him and continuously meditating on God’s word: The Bible.
Is that you? Is it me? I want it to be! The promises for such a person in this life are amazing.
I once planted a tree in a hot land where we used to live where in summer, anything growing in the garden would wither and die in the heat without water. A gardener liberally watered our new tree faithfully every day. In the first two years it grew a little, but I did not see much happening except that it was alive and green. We moved away. Seven years later I visited our old home and was amazed and astonished to see this large tree in the front garden with deep leafy foliage providing shade and coolness to the present occupants. Was it the same tree? Yes, it was! The watering had borne fruit and the deepening roots had also found water and nourishment. It was remarkable in the neighbourhood which was generally without green trees.
So it is for us. We have been planted by God in Jesus. We have streams of water, living water, available to us. We have these promises pictured like this tree given for the one who abides and meditates on God’s word day and night.
They are:
- We will bear fruit - perhaps not immediately, but with continuity and persistence in God’s word it will come.
- Our leaves will not wither - fruitfulness will continue through old age.
- We will prosper in whatever we do
I think we all want to be like the above but if we’re honest, to say we are meditating day and night on God’s word may be a stretch for many if not most of us. How much do I want the above? How much do you? Examine carefully where you are today and make any necessary changes to do this.
More important than diet, exercise or even work (1 Tim 4:8). Keep the goal before you. Perhaps memorise this verse and put it on your desk. If applied, as the years go on, you will show much fruit and be standing firm and tall. Blessings.
ACTION STEPS
• Meditate on God’s word today
• Shake off weariness in ministry and believe God for fruit in His time
• Rejoice today for freshness and freedom from fear in difficult times