In my lifetime I have lived in several different states. Moving to an area where you do not know anyone or anything about the area can be a bit overwhelming. However, I chose to look at it as an adventure provided by the Lord. It has brought many opportunities to meet new people, find new avenues of service for the Lord, and also to trust Him with the unknown. I have spent many days by myself driving to areas that were new and unexplored by me. Sometimes, I would get lost because those days were before cars were equipped with GPS. Once the right path was determined, I made a mental note and used that path for future trips. What was the result? I arrived where I was supposed to be! In Psalm 1:3, the psalmist teaches us the result of walking, standing, and sitting in the right places with the right people. These results are from following hard after God and living obediently. This person will be fruitful for the Master.
The psalmist gives us a beautiful picture; it is a refreshing picture of living righteously. We will be like a tree planted by the water. We currently live on the lake in Alabama. This summer, we have experienced long, dry, hot days. Many of our trees are already shedding their leaves because of the lack of rain and excessive heat. As I look out this morning, I noticed that the further the tree is from the lake the more leaves it is shedding, and shedding faster than the ones nearer the lake. Yet, those trees that are at the edge of the water are continuing to flourish and put on new leaves. Their color is a lush green, their roots are running deep, and when the storms come, they are strong and upright. It is simple to understand why they are so healthy but easy to overlook and make application to our own lives.
God often uses nature, His created order, to show us the result of living and trusting in Him completely. In Psalm 1:3, if we are to be fruitful as a Christian, we must stay as close to the Living Water as possible. In John 4:10, Jesus told the woman at the well that He was the living water. It’s available and in abundant supply, but we must determine to access it often if we are to be fruitful. Water is something we can’t live long without. We can go much longer without food than we can without water. If He is the living water, then it makes sense that we must study, pray, and obey to not only have our thirst quenched but also to grow and produce fruit.
Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
John 4:10 “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knew the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
This fruit will continue if we are obedient. It will flourish and we shall bring forth fruit in our old age. We will, as the psalmist says in Psalm 92:13-14, continue to flourish all the way to the end of our lives. We do not stop when age, illness, or circumstances change; we continue. There is no retirement in the Lord’s army. Our opportunities will change, and our abilities will change, but if God has left us here, He has a purpose in mind. We are not to get to a point in life where we feel we have paid our dues and it is time to rest.
Psalm 92:13-14 “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;”
God gives us the command and He expects us to use the tools He has provided to be fruitful. The only thing keeping us from bearing fruit for the kingdom is ourselves. The flesh is weak, and it desires the comfort zone of selfishness. When we yield to the flesh, we don’t push ourselves to reach out to others. We make every excuse possible to satisfy our conscience. When the Holy Spirit deals with us about our lack of fruitfulness, we use all the answers that the world uses to escape our God-given responsibilities. The world expects this, the modern church accepts this, and we become accustomed to it. All is well, except with the One who matters most, Jesus! Today is the day to determine you will be a fruitful Christian. We do that by living with our roots in the Living Water and obeying. The result: Fruit for the Master. The results are important because one day we will give an account to God for what we could have done if we would have obeyed. If we would be more concerned about others than ourselves, I wonder how more would be in Heaven?
