As for Me: Life Through the Lens of the PsalmsSample

Deeply Rooted

“He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.“

Psalm 1:3 (CSB)

For a few years, our family lived in Palm Desert, and I now know there is nothing quite like experiencing summers in the desert. Days sometimes get up to 120°F/50°C degrees! Living in the desert through desperately dry and scorching summers showed me the need for a reliable water source. Dehydration happens quickly, so you have to be intentional about drinking lots of water and making sure anything in your yard has some too. No matter how hot and dry the day was though, the trees and flowers that had an adequate supply of water always had an abundance of color and blossoms. The citrus fruit was some of the best I have ever tasted.

Imagine the world we live in is the hot desert summer, and our trials are the scorching heat. How do we root ourselves deeply and keep our souls hydrated?

Often our inconsistencies and shallowness cause us to wither and be unfruitful, and we miss out on what God desires for us. Our true mission on earth is to flourish by being satisfied with Him—knowing Him and making Him known.

By “flourish” I don’t mean that every day goes according to our plan. I don’t mean that we have a rocking social media account with tons of followers and people who finally see the value of what we bring to society or appreciate us for who we are. Nothing that is me-centered will cause me to be fruitful.

What’s vital to our lives is that we love Jesus, we are strengthened and filled with the Spirit, and we are obedient to the will of the Father. Our eyes are set like flint-rock on the only One who saves us and makes us whole. In a demanding world that pulls at us in a million different directions, I long to be steadfast, with character in my life that endures.

How can you practice setting the Lord before you and letting Him guide you? What might it look like for you to do that today?