Life Transforming Works

As I have watched the news showing the storms and floods in the south, hearing the terrible stories of people dying, getting hurt and facing so many problems, I saw a large tree in the middle of the flood standing strong. It brought Psalm 1 to mind.

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 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. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction."

Like that strong tree standing in the midst of the storms and flood, God describes a Christian who meditates on God's Word like a tree planted by a stream. The Psalmist explains that God does three powerful things inside of someone who meditates on God's Word.

The first powerful life transforming work of God in someone who prayerfully meditates on the Word is stability. "That person is like a tree planted by streams of water." Like a tree with deep roots being fed by a stream can handle storms, is the one who meditates on God's Word with deep roots in Christ. Trees by streams are strong even during times of drought. Its the image of a person who can keep on going during hard times. Its the person everyone looks to during stressful, overwhelming, and problem filled times.

The next powerful life transforming work of God in someone who prayerfully meditates on God's Word is character. "That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither." Trees produce fruit. The Psalmist's negative comparison is chaff. Chaff does not produce fruit, it just gets blown away. But, trees produce fruit. In someone who meditates on God's Word, God produces His fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." These are beautiful and attractive fruit in anyone. Are the people in your life enjoying the fruit God is growing in you?

The last powerful life transforming work of God in someone who prayerfully meditates on God's Word in Psalm 1 is blessed. "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." Blessed is such a rich word and overlooked word in Scripture. It means God's full peace and well being in every dimension of our souls and lives. Blessed is the reality of being in this un-interrupted, intimate closeness and infinite joy of being with Jesus fully.

The Word is Jesus. Scriptures are Jesus. The 66 books are Jesus. Let's experience and grow in what the Psalmist learned. Let's see Jesus love us. Let's see Jesus come to earth for us. Let's see Jesus live, relate, teach and demonstrate how to live for us. Let's see Jesus suffer and die for us. Let's see Jesus rise from the dead for us. Let's see Jesus rejoice and sing over us. Let's see Jesus delight in us. Let's delight in Jesus. Let's delight in the Word. Let's delight in the Scriptures.

Letting Jesus transform us through meditating on the Word.
Pastor Chris

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