J13 It's not just trees that need a taproot

Psalm 1:1-3: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsels of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree, planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither."

and Jeremiah 17:7-8: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when the heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Jerome: "Being transplanted by the waters refers to the various graces of the Holy Spirit. And sending its roots into the water (or by the stream) means that one receives abundance from the Lord." (1)

Reflection: I was an avid backpacker in my youth. When planning a route, the primary consideration -- way ahead of scenery -- was reliable water. If a camp was known to be dry, we had to stagger towards it loaded with extra weight - one pint, one pound. Or if the elevation gain to reach a water source was very great, and hence the exertion exceptional, it was dangerous to carry little.

Jerome spent much time in the Judean desert. He knew physical thirst. He was also well aware of how dependent the believer is, on the living water -- Christ. He translated most of the Vulgate, the Latin bible that sustained the Western church for over a thousand years.

It is no secret how believers connect to God. Prayer. Scripture. Worship. Fellowship. Sacrifice. Service. These are the roots, through which we draw upon the strength of the Lord. We can still bear fruit in the drought. My circumstances do not cut my roots. Bad decisions can cut these roots, starving me spiritually and emotionally: Neglecting the Word. Avoiding fellowship. Ceasing to praise. Heeding the world not the Word. Not carrying enough water...

Have you experienced this role reversal -- you try to comfort a sister in pain, and she ends up comforting you, by evidencing her connection to the Living Water? That is her fruit in her drought! [Bless your memory, Joanne!]

My worldly circumstances are ever changing. My Kingdom circumstances are not. If I suffer thirst, it is not because God has deprived me!

My prayer today: Lord, let my strength be drawn from Jesus in the Spirit. Many sources in the world today are not only undrinkable, many are pure poison. Help my taproot shun these unwholesome sources. Sharpen my perception. Make me discerning, I pray.

(1) "Six books on Jeremiah, 3.73.2-5" In Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT Vol XII, Wenthe, Ed

7/12/2018, 8/28/2024