“But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3).

We once lived in a home that was surrounded by Redwood trees. When we first moved in, they were maybe ten feet tall. However, it wasn’t long before those trees grew very, very tall (as Redwoods do). They weren’t just tall, but also wide as the branches reached out to touch their neighbors. The leaves were a deep, lush green - a lovely contrast to the brownish grass/dirt combination that was our front yard. (With seasons of drought in California, lawn maintenance wasn’t really a thing in our neighborhood.)

As these trees continued to grow, we wondered how they were thriving so well while other vegetation withered. It turns out, there was an underground stream running right below this sentinel line of trees. Their root system was being nourished consistently below the surface, enabling the trunks to grow tall and the strong branches to reach new heights.

The Psalmist uses this beautiful imagery to help us to see the contrast of thriving verses withering.  Then he points us to the Lord as our source of nourishment and strength. 

I sure know what it feels like when I don’t nourish my soul with the Spring of Life - God’s Word. My days can feel brittle, hard, and dry. Just like the brown grass in our front yard. When I try to do life in my own strength, at some point, my energy just withers. Then I can be tempted by the short-term satisfaction the world offers. 

God does not leave us to shrink back against the elements of this life. He invites us to cultivate a relationship with Him. When we ground ourselves in His Word and sink our roots deep into the rich soil of His love, He waters us. He strengthens us. He enables us to prosper for His glory. 

I want to be like the tree in this Psalm. I want to be fruitful and have people ask?” What is your source?” Then I can point them to the Spring of Life. How about you?

Lord, You are the Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. You call us to abide in You.  You promise to sustain us and strengthen us. As You do, help us to point others to You so that they may drink of your Living Water.