The Tree - In Scripture (Part 2)

When Jesus spoke about Himself saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) - He did not use the article a for a way of life among many or a truth among many or a life among many. Jesus used the article "the" which is definitve in meaning only - only way, only truth and only life.

However, God still gives the choice to accept and believe this exclusivity to us. Should we believe in Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, then we can receive His example, His emphasis not to be wishy-washy or indecisive with our faith. He shot straight from the hip about who He was and what He was about. When we are aligned with Christ by faith, we should be the same. David and Jeremiah encourage all believers when choosing The Way, The Truth, and The Life to send down and out our roots and be grounded as a tree to The Stream of Living Water - Christ Jesus. 

In Psalm 1:1-3, David says, "Blessed is the one...whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."

This is an "If...Then" statement without saying "If" or "Then". Instead, the words "Blessed is the one..." is substituted for that condition of If...then to be met. In other words, if you take delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on his law day and night - then you will not only be blessed, but you will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 adds a little bit extra to this image. He says, 

“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 has some changes, uses other words and contains additional details. Instead of "delight" and "meditate" that David used, Jeremiah uses "trusts" and "confidence". Jeremiah keeps the tree being planted by water, but adds that the tree "sends out its roots by the stream."  He says the tree "does not fear when heat comes;" - a possible add on statement, because the next thought, "its leaves are always green" can be equated to David's - "whose leaf does not wither". Jeremiah's words of - "It has not worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." - balance nicely with David's - "whatever they do prospers" and "which yields its fruit in due season".

Anytime a message is spoken twice in Scripture you better perk up and pay particular attention. Here we have God using two different people, two different descriptions, from two different backgrounds to communicate a message - the result of Abiding in Him - The River or "stream".

Notice a tree does not have legs for mobility, it only has it's seed for multiplying and fruit for sharing/influencing. A tree is usually a stable, dependable structure that provides a home for some, in its branches, and shade for others underneath its span/reach. 

I am not saying that we as Christians should not be a Traveling Tree. On the contrary, we serve a supernatural God, with a supernatural river that we as supernatural trees can draw whatever we need - wherever we need. The River of God is supernaturally accessible to believers throughout their life wherever they go. Proximity is the key. Staying in God's Word and Spirit, The River, and keeping up our relationship with Him through consistent, if not constant prayer, will maintain our "root system". Wherever believers are the benefits for them and those around them are enormous as they stay near and connected with Christ, The River of Life.