Devotions

Rev Gav

Rooted

Psalms 1

Blessed are they who have not walked
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the assembly of the scornful.

Their delight is in the law of the Lord
and they meditate on his law day and night.

Like a tree planted by streams of water
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither,
whatever they do, it shall prosper.

As for the wicked, it is not so with them;
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement,
nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Reflect

In northern California I have hiked, several times to a place called ‘Tall Trees Grove’. This is where some of the tallest trees in the world can be found and guess what? they can be found on the banks of a river where there is an endless supply of sustenance and nutrients.

In the English language we have lots of words for being rooted. We say we are grounded, earthed, centred, established, or that we have a foundation. All these metaphors allude to being like a tree planted in the soil. The Psalmist who wrote today’s psalm used this metaphor to describe how we should be connected to God — that we should be like a tree planted by streams of water — trees that prosper, whose leaves do not wither, and who bear fruit in season.

The Psalmist reminds us that to be rooted in God means to be rooted in God’s law or wisdom. In the same way that a tree slowly sucks up nutrients so we imbibe God’s wisdom, and this means spending time (day and night) meditating on God’s word. There is value in spending time reading, listening to, or learning from the Bible.

You cannot see a tree grow. It appears stable, solid, and unmoving, yet it is growing! In the same way our spiritual growth is slow. It might even be imperceptible, but we are growing. Because we live the growth, sometimes the change is only noticeable by others, but rest assured, we are growing. All we need to do is be rooted in God.

Pray

Holy God
May I be like a tree
planted by streams of water.
May I remain rooted
in your Word
that I may grow
into the person
you have called me to be.
This day and forever.