I Want to be the Tree

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He 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.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1 has always been one of my favorite Psalms. As a small child I can remember sitting in church memorizing it to pass the time. Those words have stuck with me for all these years and still have a tremendous impact on me each time I read them or meditate on them.

Perhaps it is why I have always enjoyed the spring. The coming to life of the trees that surround me is breath-taking. What glorious colors splash the once drab winter weary land. The budding fruit trees with their promise of fruit yet to come surround me and remind me of the truths of this psalm.

What difference it makes when a tree is planted by a source of water. The leaves are healthy, the fruit abounds and the limbs spread wider and higher with each passing year. On the other hand the tree that lacks nourishment withers and fades away. Leaves drop prematurely to the ground and in time the branches break off and the tree dies.

The Christian who cherishes the Word of God, who yearns for its truths and pants to know more of God will flourish. Prosper. Grow. Fruit will be abundant and satisfying. On the other hand those who try to go through life without drawing their strength from the strength-giver will fall by the wayside. They will be blown away like the chaff or will be like the tree that does not have any life.

I want to be the tree. I want to be the tree that is planted by the life giving waters. I want the fruit of my life to be in abundance. How great is the gift of the Word that I can grow to know the God I love in a more intimate and deep way. My heart yearns for Him and to know Him.

There is no other source of life, no other source of strength, no other source of salvation than through the living Word that teaches us of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. What distractions keep me from growing deeper into the Word? I pray that God will reveal them to me and I will be willing to lay them aside.

May I see fruit in my life as my roots go deeper into His Word.