The Tree of Life

The Psalms are filled with truth, overflowing with it in fact!
From the Psalms we get some of our greatest hymns, and our dearest truths from Scripture, and I'm sure many can relate also, to the constant conviction of the Spirit we get from reading the Psalmist's words.

Here in Psalms 1:1-4 we are given a recurring bit of imagery, and that I will discuss in a moment, but first, a treatise on trees...

Not really, but trees are some of my favorite parts of God's Creation, they add some much to the color, sound, feel, and atmosphere of nature. Indeed one of the first things that many think of when the word "nature" is uttered is a tall tree full of leaves and in full bloom.

So I want you to picture a tree, a beautiful, tree in full season, and then, put your face on it...

Okay, that was a semi-pointless exercise, but it gets my point across. Can we see ourselves like this tree in full season? Can we see ourselves in the same position as a tree, relying on sun, and rain, and air to survive?

This is where Psalms 1:1-4 comes in, it says this, listen closely Christian, and take care how you listen:
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away." 

Hear that? We are like trees, planted by streams of water...
Why is that last part important?

Water is essential for any plant, and trees fall under that category. Water is how plants live, and thrive, yes sunlight, yes, carbon dioxide, but water... Water is the more necessary of the three.

This imagery shows us where we stand, on conditions, (let us remember quickly that God's love for us is not conditional, but our joy in Him, and our satisfaction is conditional on how we persevere in repentance and obedience, by His grace of course) the conditions for us to be considered as trees planted by streams of water is as thus: we walk not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but instead we delight in the law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night (v. 1-2).

So, if we delight in God's law we must forsake all of our wickedness, and wicked company in order to be planted by streams of water. Psalms 119:9 says: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word."

We must be in the Word day and night and keep it close, lest our own wicked hearts, or the wickedness around us uproot our faith.

So say this is true of us, that, like in Psalms 19 and 119 we love and follow the law of God (again, by His grace given that we might please Him), we are like a tree planted right next to our source of life, and we thrive accordingly! ("yields fruit in its season..." "leaf does not wither...")

So we are promised that if we abide with our Lord we will never wither, we will in abundance of grace and joy, live this life right next to our source of all good in this world, and the next (James 1:17-18; Psalm 16:11)

But beware my friends lest you fall on the other side of the stream, for many who read this, perhaps unknowingly, are running toward the fire that will burn you to ash, and torment your soul forever.
Psalm 1:4 "The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away."

many may never know this life... This joy, this thriving, ever increasing love for God that plants them next to their all-Sovereign, all-good Creator, but instead willingly reject Him for their own passions and fleeting, fading, worldly joys.

But do not fear fading ones... For your Creator has made a Way, The Way.

John 14:6 "Jesus said to him [Thomas], 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

And now we are part of a new life, and if we abide in Him, as He abides in us, then we will have eternal life, planted by the ever-flowing river of Living Water, Christ Jesus Himself: John 4:7-14
We are now a part of this new life, born again to a Living Hope, and connected inseparably to the True Vine, John 15:1-8

Jesus is our water, and if we abide in Him, we will be like trees, planted by streams of water!


Watered daily by the Word
--The Scribe