What are you rooted in?

“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

This is one of my favorite times of year in the Pacific Northwest. The vibrant colors in shades of red, orange, and yellow of the leaves of the trees throughout town amaze me. It’s a gorgeous sight, even just driving through town!

In Psalm 1 we learn how a person that mediates on God’s Word is like a tree. This type of tree is one whose roots go deep, watered by a nearby stream, and whose fruit is yielded in its proper season. Notice that it doesn’t say this is a fast-growing tree that immediately displays a bountiful crop.

When we daily spend time in Scripture, we may not feel like we’re growing. We don’t see the fruits of our labor just yet. It may not be until a storm hits us and we suddenly realize we aren’t falling over in the winds and the weight of the ice on our branches isn’t snapping us because our roots have grown deep into the Truth of God’s Word. (Anyone remember the ice storm and the number of trees that fell?)

What are you meditating on, dear one? What are you rooted in? If you don’t know where to start in reading your Bible, choose a book of the Bible to read and read the first chapter. If you’ve considered reading through the Bible in a year, you don’t need to wait until January 1st to start. You can begin anytime (and if you start now, you’ve got a head start if you want to finish by the end of next year!) One day you’ll look back and realize how deep your roots have grown and your once-bear branches are full of ripe fruit, a testimony of the work God has been doing in your heart through His Word.