the importance of this in the re minder of our Lord, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Have you, by faith in the Saviour, been planted by Cod — steadfast, un movable, always abounding in the work of the Saviour. Now look at where this tree, ac cording to Psalm T, is privileged to send down its roots. It is by the rivers of water. Let us think of your life for a moment. We certainly trust that it does indeed resemble a tree that is planted with thought ful care and attention. Do you see from this passage that the tree is in the singular tense while the rivers are in the plural? Here is a blessed lesson we can gain from Scripture. There is one tree but there are many rivers. There is on ly one you — you have only one life—but Cod has provided many, many rivers with which He will supply you with spiritual nourish ment. If one river should fail or dry up, another channel will soon be opened for vou. We are not de pendent, as believers, on some fit ful shower in a land of drought. Cod provides us with spiritual re freshment dav by day. The result is that you will bring forth His fruit in His season. In II Timothy 4:2 we learn that we are to be instant in season, out of season. This means that while it may not be the sea son to have fruit, yet you are in season and you do have fruit. I love summer because I enjoy fresh fruit. Think what it would be like, in the dead winter, to have fresh watermelon or to go out and pick some delectable peaches or apri cots right off your own tree. The believer is to be this exact way. When it is not the season, yet he Page 49
writer, “Take time to be holy; speak oft with thy Lord." Notice the beautiful testimony that follows, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of wa ter, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." I love that verse, praying to the Lord that in some sense it might be true of my own life. There are many kinds of trees. An example is the eucalyptus tree with its shallow roots. In a storm it can sometimes be blown over. Or, perhaps the Psalmist had in mind the olive tree. This is an in teresting tree to study in light of the fact that it is practically inde structible. There are many olive trees found on the Biola campus, part of an original 3,000 acre Mc Nally Olive Orchard. They have a rugged beauty all their own. They may be transplanted and continue to grow. The olive tree's roots are normally put down deeply into the soil. When storms come there is little effect upon them. Which might lead us to ask, are you like an olive or a eucalyptus tree when problems come into your life? The Bible says: "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of wa ter." The usual Hebrew word for planting is not used here. It is a completely different term which means "to firmly entrench," "to be deeply implanted." This is exactly what the Psalmist is talking about. The placement of the tree is not "helter-skelter"; there is a real purpose behind it. It was not just a seed that was thrown aside in the yard, beginning to grow on a vol unteer basis. There was a specific design in placement given to it. In Matthew 15:13 we get an idea of
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