Be A Tree

I meet with a Discipleship Group every week. This is a small group of five guys that encourage each other, pray for each other, and talk together about what God is teaching us.

For the last several weeks of 2020, we challenged each other to memorize Psalm 1. So, those verses have been running through my head and my heart for a couple of months now. This psalm has some great promises and some great warnings.

For the righteous who are seeing after God, there are wonderful promises. For the wicked who refuse to submit to God in their lives, there are dire warnings.

Verse three speaks of the promises for those seeking God. That verse says: He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:3, CSB). Who is the “he”?

Verse 2 describe the “he” as being the one who delights in the “Lord’s instruction and he meditates on it day and night.” So, those who love the Word of God and are thinking consistently about what God says through His word are described as a tree.

It is significant that the person is described as a tree, not a shrub, not a plant but a tree. Trees take a long time to grow. God is working in you over the long haul. Spiritual growth is not a quick process. You will be growing in the Lord all of your life. Trees take time to grow. Strong followers of Christ take time to grow.

This tree is “planted” in one place. Healthy trees stay where they are planted. We are called to stay planted in Christ and in Him alone. We should not be chasing after the latest greatest Christian fad or best selling author. It’s OK to let God use others to help grow us, but we are to remain in Christ (see John 15:1-5). Healthy spiritual lives are planted in Christ alone.

This tree is planted “beside flowing streams.” I love how this tree has access to the flowing streams. The water that the tree drinks is fresh water. It is new every day. In our spiritual lives, it is vital to understand that God has a fresh, new word for us every day. Too many Christians hear a word from the Lord on Sunday and expect that to get them through the rest of the week.

God wants to give you a fresh word on Monday through Saturday as well. Yesterday’s word is not meant to quench the thirst in your soul today. You need a fresh word today. Hear that word by opening God’s word today and see what He says to you.

Our spiritual lives are pictured as a tree. Trees grow over time, not overnight. Trees stay planted in Christ alone. And, trees get fresh water daily. Be a tree in Christ.

(Responses/questions? jeff.perkins@mbclife.org)