WHERE ARE YOU PLANTED?

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

But You, Lord, are forever exalted.

For surely Your enemies, Lord, surely Your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.”

Psalm 92:6-15

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It’s been said that as we live each day in life, we are either living or dying. There is no middle ground.

Either we choose to live in the Lord and hunger and thirst for His righteousness or we choose to live for the world and its desires and walk the steps along the wide path of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14), a path that many people today are traveling on.

Living in the Lord leads to spiritual growth and the Holy Spirit transforms and conforms us to the image of Christ Jesus, our Savior. And as we fulfill our obligation as a Christian to live more and more like Jesus, then we begin to blossom and bloom, producing abundant fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Opting to not live in the Lord yields very different results. It may appear that someone is experiencing rewards as they seek and meet their desires, coveting the temporal things of the world over the eternal bounties of heaven. But look at these words from the 92nd Psalm and the 17th chapter of Jeremiah which sound an ominous warning to anyone who turns away from the Lord:

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. For surely Your enemies, Lord, surely Your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered.

Psalm 92:6-7, 9

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.” Jeremiah 17:5-6

Anyone who chooses to reject God and His righteousness, opting for sin instead becomes His enemy and the God’s word in the psalm is clear, the enemies of the Lord will surely perish and be destroyed forever. Speaking in Jeremiah, the Lord clearly reinforces the words of the psalm by calling those who trust in man over Him - those who draw strength from the flesh and turn their heart away from God - as cursed. The Lord promises that those who opt to not live in Him will not experience prosperity and will be like a bush in the wastelands, dwelling in the parched places of the desert.

Contrast this outcome now with what happens when someone chooses the Lord, to live in accordance with His will with all their heart and soul and mind and strength. Their commitment to their Maker and Creator leads to the following:

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.” Psalm 92:12-15

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah:17:7-8

Those who choose to follow the Lord and His ways will flourish and grow like a tree planted in the house of the Lord which sends out its roots to be nourished by the living waters. This tree survives anything, no matter what the climate might be. No hardship or trial or difficulty can keep a tree rooted in God to stop from bearing fruit. When life brings heat and dry spells, the Lord brings life and life to the fullest. Kept fresh and green, His people proclaim, “The Lord is upright and He is my rock!”

So my question is obvious today…where are you planted?

Have you chosen to plant yourself near the living waters of the Lord that will always allow you to thrive no matter what life brings, ultimately resulting in eternal life through Christ Jesus?

Or have you decided that you would rather live by your own strength and your own desires, pursuing the sinful ways of the flesh and the world, ultimately leading to your demise and annihilation?

There really are only two options. Make sure you’re planted in the right place.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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