Rest Stop

Psalm 1 of the Bible is one of my favorites and full of wisdom and truth. As a matter of fact, I could take it one verse at a time and not nearly exhaust the content of it in a week or two. I do, however, want to discuss just a little about what the Lord showed me this morning as I meditated on His word. The 1st verse of this psalm describes how blessed, happy, and fortunate the person is who does not walk in the counsel or follow the advice of the wicked, does not stand inactively and submissively in the path of the sinner, and does not sit down to rest and relax with the person who hates God. It then goes on to talk about the fact that the person who delights in the study of God's instructions and precepts, as well as, the following through on His commands is well known personally to God. Then comes the part that I would like to talk about today which says, "they shall be like a tree firmly planted by the rivers of water, ready to bring forth it's fruit in its season." This verse is pregnant with meaning and life all by itself. First of all, the fact that the tree is "firmly planted" means that there is a Someone who took the care to pick out the right spot to place the tree where it would be most advantageous to the Planter. Secondly, there is a fresh source of life giving water very near to the tree to keep it vibrant and growing continuously. Thirdly, the tree is healthy and producing the fruit that it was intended to when it was so thoughtfully and carefully placed. Then I also saw, as I meditated this morning, that a good healthy tree planted in a strategic position near a fresh water source would look like a great stopping place to rest if I were a weary traveler needing some shade from the heat of the day. I just bet you can see that tree in your mind right now. Now, let's continue a little further and see what the author of this psalm really meant when he penned it. Remember that this verse started with, "this person shall be like a tree..." so we aren't talking about a tree, but a person. Have these verses been describing us? Are we strategicly and "firmly planted" by God in a city, neighborhood, workplace, ministry, and community? Are we near to that fresh water source or Bible-believing church where we gather with others who also are called by God to be trees of life? Are we producing the fruit that God is expecting from the tree that has so many advantages because of Who it's caretaker is? Are there weary travelers in our sphere of influence that need rest from the heat of the evil days and do we look attractive enough to them to come and sit down under our shade? I certainly hope so because the world needs to stop and rest every once in a while from the frenzied pace that our culture is forcing them along at and who knows, if we offer them Christ, they just might stay and become one of us. Earlier in the verse it said, " for us not to sit down, rest and relax with the person who scorns God", but that's not quite what I am talking about here. There it was don't hang out and be apart of there deeds, but here it is more like that they have so wearied themselves on the sinful life that they are ready for a Divine break and we are to be ready and in our place. Jesus said "come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Well, in most cases the seeker of rest does not know that our Lord said that so we must be the tree that tells them. The Bible also says that "we are to have a good reputation with believers and nonbelievers", which means that our lives should be so full of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit that anyone around us should find us easy to be with and comforting to know. So, I guess my thought for us to consider this week is really a question. Is your life like a comfortable shade tree where a weary and thirsty traveler could find a good Rest Stop? I hope it is because you were planted here for this reason during this season. May God bless all of you as you stand tall and firm this week for Christ. Faithfully yours, brotherdevon.