“And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water…”
This line depicts the believer, the man who delights in the law of the Lord (v2), as a tree. The roots of this tree go deep and are fed by the streams of water – a consistent supply. Christ Himself is living water, the water that makes us never thirst again (John 4:10-14). There is no drought experienced by this tree. So too is it for the believer who is nourished by the Word of God, who meditates on it day and night. This believer is anchored in truth. Joshua 1:8a instructs us to meditate on the Word day and night and to do everything it says. This is how we are nourished by Word of God. Through the reading and studying of His Word, the decision to act on His Word and through consistent prayer, we build a relationship with God. Through this relationship, we learn His character and are able to stand firmly in the truth of who He is.
“…Which yields fruit in its season…”
Fruit trees bear at certain times of the year. The right conditions and timing allow the fruit to ripen and be ready for harvest where it then provides food for others. The fruit being referred to in the verse above is that which proceeds from the believer – fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Fruit also refers to the things we do – our work, our relationships, our worship, etc. There are optimal times and conditions (seasons) for all of these things. As we continue to be fed by the streams of water, we remain able to produce good fruit in its season.
The phrase “in its season” suggests that our timing aligns with that of God’s. Think of David who was anointed to be the next king of Israel while still a child. The years in between his anointing and his appointment as king were used to prepare him for what was to come. But, he remained fixed on the Lord through it all, meditating day and night on the Word of God, pouring out his heart to the Lord when things got tough. He remained firmly planted. When the season came for his appointment, he was fruitful. He was able to display the qualities of a godly king, successfully leading God’s people. Even when faced with his transgressions, he did not neglect to repent and seek God’s face. He remained planted.
“Its leaf does not wither”
Jeremiah 17:8 says:
"For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear the heat when it comes; But its leaves will be green and moist. And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought Nor stop bearing fruit."
The believer who remains fixed on the Lord, meditating on the Word of God day and night, trusting in God alone, has no need to worry when trials come. There is no need to fear because there is a confident hope in God. This believer finds joy, peace and hope in the Lord. Hebrews 6:19 speaks to this hope that anchors the soul. Just as the tree is firmly planted, so is the soul firmly anchored in Christ Jesus. For the firmly rooted believer, there is no season in which they stop being nourished. The leaves of the tree capture the sunlight for the process of photosynthesis which, along with the water absorbed by the roots, produces “food” for the tree to grow and produce fruit. The trees referenced in Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17 have leaves that never wither and roots spread out by a consistent source of water. These trees therefore, are always being fed, consistently growing and maturing, just as believer who is firmly planted in the Word of God.
When you think about a tree, it’s branches and leaves grow towards the sun, they grow upwards as the roots grow deeper and wider downwards into the soil, closer to the source of water. Likewise, as our roots grow deeper through meditation on the Word of God, our worship and our desire for the Son increases. We hunger and thirst for Him and so we go in search of Him more and more – going higher and deeper at the same time. As the trees stretch their branches and leaves upwards, so do we stretch our arms upwards in praise and worship of our King. Our worship will not wither away if we remain planted by the stream, even when the heat (trials) come.
“And whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].”
This line is the promise that comes as a result of fulfilling the conditions set out before – being “firmly planted by streams of water”. Likewise, in Joshua 1:7-8, the result of meditating on this Book of the Law day and night is for the purpose of doing what it says and then “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful”. And again in Jeremiah 17:8, the promise of continually bearing fruit and not being anxious results from believing, trusting in and relying on the Lord, hoping and confidently expecting in Him alone. The kind of hope referenced in Hebrews 6:19. These are the promises of God.
When we remain rooted in Him, being fed by Him, our way will be prosperous – we will flourish where we are planted. We have a role to play here – it’s not a blind or blanket promise and it is not to be taken out of the intended context. We must partner with God to see the fullness of His promises. They are the results of His conditions being fulfilled. Yes, there is grace and He can choose to do things in a different way if He chooses but He is a Man of His Word, He cannot lie, His written Word is TRUTH. His principles govern His Kingdom and that is what we are guided by as Christians.
My questions therefore are:
- Am I firmly planted? What does this look like in my life?
- What fruit is it that I am to bear in this season? What lesson is the Lord teaching me?
- Are my roots going deeper and my leaves evergreen? Am I growing in the Lord or have I become comfortable and complacent?
- Am I continuously aiming to partner with God to see the fullness of His promises?