A Thriving Life
Scripture Reading — Psalm 1
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.
Calendars often include beautiful landscapes to illustrate the seasons of the year. Turn the pages of a typical wall calendar, and you’ll see artwork of snowy mountains in winter, budding greenery in spring, beaches in summer, and colorful trees or harvest fields in autumn.
Psalm 1 speaks of trees and seasons too. In this psalm I see a perpetual oasis formed by the trees of the righteous planted around the throne of God. What a picture that would make for a calendar—row upon row of cedars, palms, firs, olive trees, and other evergreens in every shade of emerald surrounding the presence of God, each one a symbol of a thriving life watered by the study of God’s Word.
The truly blessed are those who learn from God’s Word and live it. Unlike people who treat God’s Word flippantly, the faithful believer trusts Scripture to be a reliable guide to life. Happiness is found in loving and living by God’s teachings. Our delight, the psalmist says, is in those teachings, the law of God.
Each season of the year offers us opportunities to experience our world in new ways. We drive, fly, ride, walk, or sail to see new scenery or to experience new places. This month let’s explore a season in the psalms and take in all the scenery and experiences they offer.
Together we can delight in the law of God.
O God, make us like trees rooted deep beside the river of your goodness and with branches lush with the fruit of your Spirit. Amen.
About the author — Thea Leunk
Thea Nyhoff Leunk has been a high school English teacher, a director of Christian education, a pastor of discipleship, and a regional coach for the Christian Reformed Church in North America. She is currently the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thea has also written courses for teens and young adults on world religions, Christian faith traditions, and science and the Bible. She and her husband have three adult children.
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