Watering the Plants

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37b)

Feeling a bit parched? Searching to quench that thirst with an iced tea or Diet Coke? Dive into the Word for real refreshment!I try to be diligent in my Bible reading and am often rewarded by God's speaking to my heart through particular scriptures. I pause and sometimes even write them down. The reflection usually ends there, however. This year, I would like to pursue the verses that God lays on my heart by pondering how He wants me to apply these verses in my life.

Here is what spoke to me this week:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

or stand in the way of sinners,

or sit in the seat of mockers.

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,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3

Whatever is the opposite of a green thumb, I have it. My four-year-old has grown sunflowers from seed this summer; they are blooming beautifully outside my kitchen window. I, on the other hand, have killed a promising pot of basil. Everyday I would check the soil on the surface of the pot. It would feel and look dry, so I would water it. By the time the leaves started looking limp, I figured out that I was overwatering and that the excess water was rotting the roots. I held back on the water, so much so that I succeeded in finishing the basil off (Of course, the stinky fumes in my house could have contributed to the basil's demise, too!).

Today's verses provide the image of a tree that always has just the right amount of water because of where it is planted, by a brook. Its leaves, unlike my basil, never grow limp or shrivel up and brown. It provides fruit in its proper season.

The analogy is drawn between this tree that draws upon the wellspring of the water near it and the person who draws upon the wellspring of God's Word. This person doesn't consider it a duty to read the Bible; he thinks about it day and night. As a result, he knows to keep away from the company of sinners and scoffers. He is able to recognize false or worldly advice from the Truth. Therefore, "whatever he does prospers." I could certainly handle having whatever I do to prosper. Of course, by immersing myself in God's Word, the "whatever I do" might change just a little bit so that the "whatever" is more reflective of God's will than my own selfish will.

I want the leaves of my life to be verdant and lush, not barely hanging on to the limbs. I want the spiritual fruit I produce to be a luscious, bountiful harvest, not a few shriveled up fruits. I want God's Word to nurture and refresh my soul.

So, what verses have spoken to you this week? Post those verses on your own blog, along with how you see that God wants you to apply them in your life. Then, provide your link below so that we can drink from one another's wells of scripture.