Planted By the River

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 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” Psalm 1:1-3

This week we are looking at some scriptures in the Bible that speak of rivers. Recently I spent some time in a place I used to live. One of the things I missed so much when I moved from there was the park down by the river. It was nice to visit it again even for a brief time. There is something very relaxing about being by a river. One can forget about everything else and just enjoy the scenery.

Psalm 1 begins by giving us signposts that will lead us to the place where we are blessed. First, we must turn away from the ways of the world and not trust in its counsel. Then we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. It is not enough just to read it; we are to take time to meditate upon it and apply its principles to our lives.

Then the Psalmist proceeds to show us the rewards of having God’s Word filling our hearts and minds. He likens it to a tree planted by a river. As it draws sustenance from the water, it grows and flourishes. It bears fruit and prospers. It is a blessing to those who seek its shade and enjoy its beauty.

The more we read the Word and meditate upon its teachings, the deeper our roots grow. Our lives will change and bear fruit that will be a blessing to others. Love and kindness will flow forth and God will make our way prosperous. Verse 6 tells us that “the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous.” We can be confident that He loves us and will never leave nor forsake us.

A song we used to sing comes to my memory:

“Oh, the joy of sins forgiven,

Oh, the bliss the blood-washed know,

Oh, the peace akin to Heav’n,

Where the healing waters flow.”

If you are reading this today, and you feel like everything in your life is going wrong, maybe it is time to examine your relationship with the Lord. Time spent reading and meditating upon the Lord can restore your joy. Jesus is just waiting for you to call upon Him, and once again you can experience the touch of those healing waters.

Prayer: Thank you Lord Jesus for the living water that you supply, more abundantly than we can ask, or think. We are so blessed to be called your children.

Devotion by Anne Johnston