Rooted in the Word

Psalms 1:3-4
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.



Picture it method (Rick Warren 40 Days in the Word):

I see the tree standing by the water exactly where the Lord put it.  The tree does not choose where it stands, but the Lord plants it directly in the place He has prepared.  The tree will topple if it is not planted precisely where the Lord determined.

Matthew 15:13-14
He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

The stream flows with living water as the roots draw from this endless source of the power of God.  The image of this tree follows immediately after the explanation of how one is blessed by avoiding sin and meditating on the Word of God day and night to the delight of his soul.  This meditation on the Word represents the deep roots that supply living water afresh each day from the Lord's abundance.

Jeremiah 17:8
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

John 4:14
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

This tree yields fruit despite the dry climate due to the living water it drinks.  This man who delights in the Word is stable in the midst of trouble because he receives his nourishment from the Lord.  He produces evidence of this continual filling and He is not fearful of circumstances...rather he has peace beyond all understanding.  Also noting that the Lord does not necessarily bring rain or change the climate.  He gives peace and a filling from the living water.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This man prospers in all that he does because he is reliant on God to sustain him.  The tree by the river does one thing.  It grows and displays the Glory of it's creator.  In doing so it feeds mankind by producing oxygen for others to breathe and fruit for man to eat.

Genesis 39:3
His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

Ezekiel 47:12
And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

The imagery does not include the tree becoming adorned with dressings or taking on some purpose other than what God intended.  When I am relying on the Word of God to sustain me the prospering that the Lord brings will be related to the mission...I will grow Christ like. I will feed other believers and I will feed those who are not yet planted by the river.

The imagery includes a contrast to the wicked.  The wicked are not rooted in God's Word and so they fail.  They are blown here and there as they rely on their own strength rather than on the sustenance provided by the Lord.

Application:
Today I am to sink my roots deep into the river of living water
Today I am to rest in His grace and provision, worrying not about the wind that blows
Today I am to bear fruit and produce oxygen that others may see the glory of God and draw near to the river for a filling
Today I am to resist any urge to replant myself near any other river
Today I am to not be shaken by a coming or going of emotions, but with knowledge that it is the Lord that produces the leaves according to His good pleasure, not according to my plan

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your beautiful Word.  Thank you for offering this imagery to explain how I am to abide in you.  Please fill me with your living water today and may you be glorified in me.

Please let me stand firm and may I be an encouragement to those that are near.

Please let me disregard emotions and any internal discouragement that can arise from any consideration of those emotions.

Lord, please continue to make your Word come alive each morning and may you bless me with a life long habit of daily surrender that begins with surrendering my morning time to meditation on your Word.

Lord, like the tree by the river, let me drink all day and night from your living water.  Please help me to memorize your Word and may I always be feasting.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!