Intro:The dogwood in our front yard died. I tried to raise it back to life with water and fertilizer and sweet talking but nothing happened. It was dead at the root level and nothing was going to bring it back to life.
Apparently roots are important. Apparently roots finding water is important. Apparently I did not water the tree enough!
I have recently come to the idea that we are to concern ourselves with roots not fruits. We are so often concerned about the outcomes of our lives. We are often more concerned with how we appear rather than who we are! As a result we are too focused with the fruits not the roots.
Apparently, my dogwood was dying even while producing pretty flowers. There was an outward appearance but the roots were dead. It was only a matter of time before the real condition of the tree was revealed. People are like this too.
Read: Psalm 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Think:
I heard a pastor say of this passage: we must reject the way of the world (v.1) and receive the way of the Word (v.2). It was a rousing sermon given at a Biola University chapel service in 1991. 3 months later he was caught in an ongoing affair! Apparently he did not take his own advice. The fruit we saw (a good and creative sermon spoken with emphasis) hid the decay of the man's root structure. He was dead just not uprooted yet!
We do not want to end up as a statistic! We must deepen our roots. How do you deepen roots? Several ways:
1. Watch the influences in your life (v.1). You show me who you are being influenced by today and I will show you what you will be like 1 year from now. Bad company corrupts good morals. Good company drives deep roots.
2. Water yourself with the Word (v.2). Do you delight in God’s word? Do you meditate on God’s words?
3. Walk in God’s presence (v.6). The Lord watches where we walk. He is aware of our location at all times and he cares about us. If we walk after him and keep in step with the Spirit of God we will grow and our roots will deepen.
Note of grace: Walking with the Lord is not always cheesy and full of smiles! That is not real. There is pain. “Life is pain princess!” There is difficulty. We do struggle. We will not always look like we have fruit. But God tells us to not grow weary and give up. God tells us we will bear fruit if we are patient. Psalm 1 says that a tree bears fruit in season (v.3). It is ok to admit weakness and struggle. It is ok to not look like you have it all together. It is ok not to fake it! The fruit will come and be evident to all in time. You just need to make sure you are deepening your roots in Jesus.
It about roots not fruits. Isn't that freeing? It is not up to you! One waters and another one plants but it is God who causes the growth (1 Cor.).
Do:
Examine yourself. Are you more concerned with roots or fruits? Are you willing to be patient until the fruit comes? Just like in gardening, the fruit comes some time after we plant and it comes in more than we planted. Be patient with God’s process. Do your part, He will do His.
DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.
