Meditating on trees
Many of the Bible's rich metaphors are used by several authors in both New and Old Testaments. ('Humans as sheep' comes to mind.) Jeremiah, for example, uses almost the same words as the psalmist. 'Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.' (17:8) So when we meditate on this picture of a disciple as a tree, enrichments come from other parts of the Bible as well as from our own experience.
Planting trees is a long-term project. Those the Lord plants need many seasons to mature. Even when growing on good soil with well-watered roots, not all will yield a hundredfold. Some will struggle to produce a good crop. Jesus spoke of his Father as the gardener, himself as the vine and his disciples as the branches. In order to be fruitful, he said, pruning is sometimes necessary.
To be rooted in abundant fresh water is miraculous provision for trees, particularly in a hot and drought-prone land. And for humans? 'The water I will give,' said Jesus, 'will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life'.
The disciple rooted in Jesus' living water bears fruit in season. As we mature in him, the Holy Spirit works with us and in us to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of Christian character, the fruit of service and neighbour love.
So we need to carry into our busy lives a word from the Lord for today. Maybe it will be the picture of the tree, whose leaves do not wither, and who is not anxious in the year of drought.
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