Planted Like A Tree
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." -Psalm 1:3
I was in the gym with my husband when Flyleaf's song "All Around Me" came on. As I started to hum the tune under my breath I had a thought. Worshipping God on a continuous basis brings life to our lives. Worship is like breathing in God's presence when we praise Him. Being without God's presence results in a static, lifeless faith. Every day we have this new opportunity to develop our relationship with God, and thus strengthen our faith in Him. It is something that brings us closer to Him and gives us more of His life in our lives.
Then I began to think about the trees, and how they provide oxygen to the rest of the world. One tree produces enough oxygen per year to support two human beings through the process of photosynthesis!* When trees convert sunlight into energy, this results in the production of oxygen. When we run in the natural, we require more oxygen. Therefore we need more of His presence and more faith to "run the race" He intended for us.
When we let God's light and life shine through us, we can create an environment of faith whereby people can experience (breathe in) God's presence, even if they don't know Him yet.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." -John 15:5
Problems arise when we're not fully connected to Jesus, or when we're not planted next to a water source. Trees need water to survive. Also, they need the light of the sun to grow. Without these two things, a place of refreshment (a house of worship), and the sun (Jesus), a tree can't have a successful, fruitful life. Trees that are plated together overlap in their root systems, so that their roots are that much stronger, being less likely to fall, especially when storms come.
"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?" -Matthew 7:16
As trees, we need to make sure we're planted in the right place so that God's life in us can flourish. Are you planted like a tree? * http://chemistry.about.com/b/2010/04/22/how-much-oxygen-does-one-tree-produce.htm
Related resource: The Reason: How I Discovered a Life Worth Living by Lacey Sturm
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