What To Do In Dry Times + “Like A Tree”
Months and months ago, I was reading Ezekiel 47 (which is an amazing chapter!), and vs. 12 just jumped off the page at me: “AND BY THE RIVER UPON THE BANK THEREOF, ON THIS SIDE AND ON THAT SIDE, SHALL GROW ALL TREES FOR MEAT, whose leaf shall not fade, NEITHER SHALL THE FRUIT THEREOF BE CONSUMED: IT SHALL BRING FORTH NEW FRUIT ACCORDING TO HIS MONTHS because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: AND THE FRUIT THEREOF SHALL BE FOR MEAT, AND THE LEAF THEREOF FOR MEDICINE.” Wow!
From there Psalm 1:1-3 came to mind: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinner, nor sitteth in the way of the scornful, BUT his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. AND HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
And, then: Psalms 52:8: “But I AM LIKE A GREEN OLIVE TREE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD: I TRUST IN the mercy OF THE LORD FOR EVER…”
Recently, I ran across Jer. 17:7-8: ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose HOPE the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
What an amazing “set” of Scriptures!!! Each paints a picture of a tree that is PLANTED CLOSE TO THE SOURCE. As a result, their leaves are always green, they continue to yield fruit at their appointed time, and they do not have to worry in times of drought.
I live in Wisconsin where during spring, summer, and fall, trees flourish irregardless of where they’re planted. Everything is lush and green from frequent rain and humidity. However, that is not the case in Israel, where these verses were written. The terrain is largely desert and the climate is arid. Water is a very precious commodity, and trees are not, from looking at photos, what we know them to be here.
That is the reason these authors drew this analogy. They knew that where a tree was planted was literally a make-or-break in whether or not the tree, not only survived, but flourished and was fruitful. They understood the value of the source, and they knew that proximity to it would ensure a tree that would be fruitful even in the seasons and times of drought.
What were the qualifying factors to have a flourishing, fruitful life?
1. “Because their waters issued out of the sanctuary.” David wrote, “I am like a green olive tree in THE HOUSE OF GOD.” “Church” will never be the only factor in longevity and continuous fruitfulness, but it certainly IS a factor. In David, a man after God’s own heart, we see a deep love and passion for the HOUSE OF GOD. In Psalm 26:8, he wrote, “I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth.” Joshua, the 2nd leader of God’s chosen people, LOVED the house of God: “Joshua…. departed not out of the tabernacle.” (Ex 33:11) Joshua’s loyalty to the man of God & the house of God pays off. God tells him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Joshua 1:5) There is a longevity birthed in us when we love the house of God. In the New Testament, Paul calls the House of God “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (I Tim 3:15)
CHURCH MATTERS!!
“Church enables us to come together with people of “like precious faith’” (2 Peter 1:1) to corporately worship the ONE our faith is in. Church gives us the ability to hear the WORD of God preached. Church is a place where we go to minister, FIRST, to God and, secondly, to His body, and in return be ministered to by both. (It is very interesting to note that if you “do” the first two, the return ministry back to you will be automatic ☺️) Church is a place new “babies” are born; where new souls are ushered into the kingdom of God. In a world that is telling us “Church no longer matters…,” “have church at home, because you are the church…,” the words of the writer of Hebrews ring more loudly than ever: “…NOT neglecting to meet together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and SO MUCH THE MORE as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25 ESV) In the longevity of a Christian, CHURCH will always be a key! We need corporate prayers, corporate praise, corporate singing, and corporate response to the Word. We are members of a body, and close, healthy connectedness to the body is vital. Encouragement happens at church. Conviction happens at church. Beautiful things happen and roots go down in the sanctuary. God has so designed it that His presence MANIFESTS when those who are the church come together AS the church. HE LOVES THE CHURCH!! This is on display in Ephesians 5:25-27: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself A GLORIOUS CHURCH, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Christ LOVES the CHURCH! With David, let’s say: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’ (Psalms 23:6), “Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house.” (Psalms 26:8), “That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life…” (Psalms 27:4), “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up…” (Psalms 69:9), “Blessed are they that dwell in thine house,…”(Psalms 84:4) “THOSE THAT BE PLANTED IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD SHALL FLOURISH IN THE COURTS OF OUT GOD.” (Psalms 92:13) “I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalms 122:1) This man who so captured the heart of God LOVED the house of God. For longevity, it will be in part, “…because their waters, they issued out of the sanctuary.”
2. “…but his delight is IN the law of the LORD, and IN His God. In affliction, David stayed close to the SOURCE by staying close to the Word.
“This is my comfort in my affliction, for THY WORD hath quickened me.” (Psalms 119:50)
“My soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy word.” (Psalms 119:81)
‘I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy WORD.” (Psalms 119:107).
In temptation and struggle, David stayed CLOSE to the Source:
“Thy WORD have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalms 119:11)
“Order my steps in THY WORD, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” (Psalms 119:123)
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” (Psalms 119:9)
Jesus himself, in the days of His ministry on earth battled temptation by and with the Word of God. Loving the Word of God in the present is an investment in your future. Every investment of the Word now adds artillery to an arsenal you may need to employ later.
The Word of God is THE source of spiritual “energy” and vitality. Just as physical food is a key factor for the health and longevity of the human body, so is the Word of God for our spirit. Jesus quoted Moses and said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Matt 4:4/Luke 4:4) We would never expect longevity and health from a person who ate no food. Food is vital. In the same way, we should never expect longevity or fruitfulness in our lives without daily ingesting the Word of God. Peter instructed us to: “…as newborn babes, DESIRE the pure milk of the Word, that you may GROW thereby.” (THAT YOUR ROOTS MAY GO DEEPER THEREBY!!!) (I Peter 2:2)
Job said, “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)
Jeremiah wrote: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart…”(Jer. 15:16)
In Psalm 19, there is a beautiful display of David’s love for the Word of God: he talks about the law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments, the fear, and the judgments of the LORD, and sums them up by saying, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, that much fine gold: sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb…” I’d rather have your Word than honey dripping from a honeycomb! Wow. I’d rather have your Word than much fine gold.
Certainly, this is a piece of how and why David endured through the heartache and challenges of his life. Certainly, his delight in the law of the LORD was a key in keeping him connected to the source and allowed him to bring forth “his fruit in his season.” His loving and longing for the Word of God kept his leaves from “withering.” For longevity, fall head over heels in love with your Bible. It is the primary way we get to know the God of the Word. HE IS “the Word made flesh!” “His delight is in the law of the LORD! READ IT! WRITE IT! MEDITATE ON IT! LET YOUR SOUL “SOAK” IN IT! MEMORIZE IT! Every word, every line is pure Miracle Grow for your root system, and deep roots will keep you fruitful in future seasons of dryness and drought. Deep roots below will preserve you above.
“Oh, how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day!”—David
3. “Blessed is the man that TRUSTETH in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is…” Jeremiah17:7
If we are to have longevity and continuous fruitfulness; if we are to “endure to the end,” it will be, in part, because we learn to trust god.” Trust is a rather elusive concept…unlike “church” or “the law of the LORD,” it is intangible, and not as easily described. Several weeks ago, during a Sunday PM worship service, God “dropped” a little line in my head: “TRUST is not a feeling. TRUST is a decision based on the knowledge of God’s character, in spite of a lack of information about a specific situation.” TRUST is a strong confidence in the goodness of God when I cannot see the hand of God or the plan of God. Trust is a conscious choice to put your confidence in God’s goodness, even when things don’t seem “good.”
There are 8 Hebrew words for trust (similar to how there are multiple Greek words for “love.”) 3 primary:
1. “batach: “to confide in any one, to set one’s hope and confidence in anyone.
2. “chacah”: to flee; specifically to take refuge; to flee somewhere for refuge.
3. “yachal”: to remain…to delay…to expect…to hope…to wait. TO CONFIDE IN…TO PLACE CONFIDENCE IN…TO RUN TO FOR REFUGE…TO HOPEFULLY WAIT FOR.
The more we know the character of God, the more time we spend soaking in His presence and learning all that He is, the easier it is to choose trust. Trust will never be a feeling, but it will bring feelings of peace and calm and settledness.
David proves trust is not a feeling and that trust is possible in spite of chaotic emotions and dire circumstances: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (Psalms 56:3)
In a time of great distress, David wrote, “Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth, but mine eyes are unto Thee, O God, the Lord, in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.” (Psalms 141:7-8)
In another desperate prayer, David prays, “O lord, hear me speedily, my spirit faileth me…” but he goes on… “In Thee do I put my trust. I lift my soul unto thee.” (Psalms 143:7-8)
David ran to God, confided in God, and waited on God in seasons of swirling emotions and gathering storms. It is possible to choose trust in every season.
“Blessed is the man that “CHOOSES TRUST” in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as TREE planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
For longevity and enduring, for continuous fruitful seasons, to make it through drought and storms, it will be, in part, because
a. Our waters “issue out of the sanctuary”
b. Our delight is in the law of the Lord, and
c. We have CHOSEN to TRUST the LORD in spite of battles, and nights, and dry seasons.
“He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved…” (Matthew 24:13)
And your life will be so much more than just “enduring” for yourself:
“…and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”
When we are rooted deeply, and anchored down into the fertile soil of God, our life will bring both nourishment and healing to those it touches. Not because of you or because you are trying, but simply because you are connected to the Vine, the Source, the Supply. IN HIM is all we will ever need.
“Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)
If we will simply get connected to Him in the house of God, through the Word of God, and the presence of God, which leads to choosing trust in God, we will bear much fruit and we will stand through every storm. We will flourish through every drought.
Thank you for joining me for this journey!
Go grab your Bible and your journal!
I look forward to the power of this habit in your life. This is Unedited.