"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper" (Psalm 1:3).
We have a purpose in life, for we are planted, not self-sown. We are not here by chance and change, but by God's choice and charge. And God has graciously planted us by His rivers of Living Water that we may draw our nourishment from the most fruitful source possible. We have been so carefully rooted by rivers of pardon and tenderness and His faithfulness and we have a never-failing Source of supply for our hunger and thirst.
It is up to us to drink from the Source, though. As that quaint cliché goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." This applies to us, as well. We are here by God's choice and then He lets us have our own choice. But it must break His heart when we choose to drink from the broken cisterns and dirty reservoirs of life.
God assures us that, whatever we put our hand to, it will succeed and endure if we stay near the Waters that sustain. We may not think we are fruitful; indeed, we may feel that God is pruning us rather severely at times, for "He cuts off every branch...that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:2). "Such a tree withstands the buffeting of the winds and, flourishing, it blesses man, animals and birds with its unfailing fruit and shade."
"...He who reads, prays, and meditates, will ever see the work which God has given him to do; the power by which he is to perform it; and the times, places and opportunities for doing those things by which God can obtain most glory, his own soul most good, and his neighbor most edification" (Adam Clarke).
And His leaf, the Bible, shall not wither!
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