Psalm 1:3 – 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.
I have tried many times to have nice plants leading up to our front door. Every spring I would go to pick out some plants that did not need too much TLC, and every year they unfortunately would not make it. I planted some toward the front of the walkway and some a little farther down. The ones closest to the front door never made it. The ones farther away from the front door lasted longer but ended up dying as well. They were so beautiful to look at when I first planted them. I always started with fertilizer, then I would plant my purchases, surround them with new rubber mulch, and give them plenty of water. They still never grew and ended up dying. The problem was not the plant but where I planted them. I did not water them as I should have, and they never got enough sunshine.
I finally gave up on trying to plant anything in that area leading up to our front door, so now we have just rubber mulch in that flower bed. However, we have always had hibiscus bushes in front of our home, and they have always flourished. Even now, they continue to look beautiful. No matter how many times I trim them back, they still seem to grow bigger and more beautiful. With as much rain as we get in Florida, I never need to water them, and they get plenty of sunshine where they are planted.
I know from my experience that it makes such a difference where we are planted in our Christian lives. First of all, we should be planted in God’s Word. God’s Word says in Psalm 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I John 1:5 says, …God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we make it a habit to be in God’s Word on a day-to-day basis, we will grow.
Next, we should plant ourselves in church. As we get involved and stay faithful to the things of the Lord, we will grow. Hebrews 10:25 says, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
We also should be planted in our prayer lives. Luke 11:1 says, …Lord, teach us to pray,… My daughter once noticed a homeless person, and we both decided to pray for him every night together before she went to bed. A few days later, we saw another homeless person, and she said, “Mom, I think we need to pray for her too.” Praying is so important in the lives of Christians. It is a way we talk to our Heavenly Father, a way we grow, and a way to get grounded in our Christian lives.
Just as those plants did not grow because of lack of sunshine and water, a Christian cannot grow without God’s Word, prayer, and church. We need to plant our lives in God’s Word and have a prayer life. We cannot grow in the things of the Lord if we are not watered by God’s Word and guided by His light. Let us make sure that we are planted where we can grow for His honor and glory!
by Mandy Harper
