Firmly Planted

Life is unpredictable.  The world is full of chaos.  Every day has it challenges. And in that unpredictability, chaos, and challenge we long for stability.  That is why I love the picture God paints in Psalm 1.  The picture of a man who is like a tree firmly planted by a stream of water.  I love that phrase – firmly planted.  This tree is not just standing upright and growing; it has deep roots.  It is a tree that withstands every season and every storm, and is continually becoming stronger.  It is a tree that is yielding fruit year after year.

That is the person I desire to be.  A woman who stands strong in the face of the unknown, who rises to life’s challenges.  Someone who is firmly planted – not easily swayed, not knocked down, and not destroyed by the storm.  I want my life to produce something, to make an impact, to bless others. 

This picture God gives us is not only inspiring, but it is also directional. A tree does not become fruitful overnight and neither do we.  The tree God is talking about is planted by streams of water.  It is connected to a source of life.  Without a source of nourishment, a tree will wither and eventually die.  But this tree has a source even in the dry season.  Unlike a tree only planted in the ground, this tree is rooted in the water.  When there is no rain, this tree is still connected to the source.

Listen to how God describes this man, “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Not every man is represented by this firmly planted tree. Only the man who has God as his source.  The key to his stability and strength is delighting in God and His word.

God is greater than any circumstance.  He is not surprised by what surprises us.  He is not shaken by the things that shake us. He is constant, steadfast, and unmoveable.  And when we connect to Him and His word, He sustains us through every season.  When we trust Him, we will find just like the man in Psalm 1 that we are growing stronger.  We are firmly planted.  We don’t fall over or wither when life is hard. We are strongly rooted and even in suffering, we continue to dig deeper and develop our character.  And in time, our life produces a great harvest.

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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 season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:2-3 NASB

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.  The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Psalm 46:1-7 NASB