“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 1:3
For the first 8ish years of our marriage, landscaping and a general interest in yard care were not on the top of my priority list. Throughout my twenties, I always said “horticulture is for my 30s.” Lo and behold, in 2024 I bought and planted 3 trees in my backyard for my 30th birthday. This was not so much as to fulfill my prophetic interests. It was, rather, an issue of necessity. After a handful of storms and poor choices, we essentially lost all the shade in our backyard. It did not take many summer days of being stuck inside with young children complaining that the yard was too hot for them, for me to realize something had to be done. So I drove out to a nursery, and I bought and planted three trees. Although the lack of shade still remains, I am eager to see increased shade in our yard throughout the coming years as the trees continue to grow.
The verse today is a metaphor for our verses from last week. A person who delights in, and meditates on, the law of the Lord, is like a tree planted by the water. Much like the trees in my shade-less yard, once I planted them, they could do little on their own without consistent watering. Yet with water, they are able to grow, and in time, offer the gift of shade to a yard that desperately needs it. The tree in Psalm 1 is able to be a blessing of fruit and shade once it is firmly established in the water. And the good news of the gospel is that Jesus promises to be that living water for us! (John 4) May we live our lives in the confidence of this living water working through us!
User Update:
We sat around the breakfast table (not our typical time of day to do our devo) to read our verse together. Though unable to produce any type of tree when prompted (Christmas trees excluded), the children really fixated on roots and their role in trees. This turned out to be a productive conversation as we discussed how like a tree by the water, our roots are planted in Christ. This then creates a firm foundation upon which we live our lives. My favorite song of the fall was Like a Tree by Caroline Cobb so we closed our time listening to that → see chorus below
“I wanna be like a tree by the river
Oh, plant me down by the deep, deep water
When the sun gets hot, my leaves won't wither
Oh, plant me down like a tree by the river”
There is so much to unpack in this tree imagery and my one email/ devotion cannot do it justice. However I encourage you to ponder this powerful and full metaphor as you encounter trees throughout your week.
-Anne
Now that I am a 5 months into my ~horticulture era~ I’ll end with a picture of my favorite tree… the weeping willow
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