Flourishing like trees planted by the rivers

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:8 KJV)

Planted by the River showing palm trees by the beach

The Bible often describes our lives using the metaphor of a tree. Think about the state of a tree in a time of famine and a tree that is planted by waters which never run dry. A tree without water withers. The leaves dry up, and the tree ceases to produce fruit. A tree by the abundance of water grows luxuriantly, with healthy green leaves and abundant fruit in its season. Our spiritual lives are like trees. Some are withered and dying while others are flourishing and still some are in somewhere in between. The difference lies in where they are planted: in dry ground or besides an abundance of water.

The planting of your life has two parts. As children of God, every one of us was planted in the Lord’s House, like trees by rivers of abundant living waters at salvation. This is the spiritual reality. However, there is a practical aspect of planting. This “practical” part is the reason why some Christians are like withered trees in the desert today, while others are like flourishing palm trees by the seashores, though they are all children of God.

In Jeremiah 17 above, the planting is seen in verse 7 which talks about those who trust and hope in the Lord. This is walking in faith, trust and absolute dependence on God in our daily lives. Not every one of us lives like this every day, the reason why some will flourish and others wither. In Psalms 1:3, a similar wording is used to describe a tree by the river. The planting is done here by delighting in God’s Word and meditating on His Word day and night.

There is a practical side to planting ourselves. It is how closely you live in fellowship with God which depends on how much of the Word works in you and how much of your life is under the Spirit’s control. The Water from heaven works in your life as the Word and the Spirit. Your relationship with God in the Word and the Spirit determines whether you are planted practically in a desert where there is constant struggles with dryness or by abundance of living water where there is flourishing like a tree besides a river.

As for the Lord, He wants you to flourish. He has provided an abundance of living water. The choice is yours to decide where you want to plant yourself practically.

MEDITATE

Please read Jeremiah 17:7-8 and Psalm 1:2-3 to see how we plant ourselves from a practical perspective.

APPLY THE WORD

Please do not pray that God should plant you by the rivers. No! That choice is yours. Your attitude towards God’s Word and Spirit will determine where you are planted. Rather than praying for God to plant you by the rivers, pray that you will desire and be strengthened to feed on the Word constantly, surrender to the leading of the Spirit, grow to maturity, walk in faith, etc.