Be The Tree

Psalms 1:3, Jeremiah 17:8, Ezekiel 47:1-12

Being completely drowned in Arabic these past weeks, the LORD has really shown me several passages in the Book that have really brought me a great deal of comfort.

The Book brings the picture of a tree planted by the stream. It's roots go deep and when the drought come it survives. Not only survives but it thrives. Its leaves do not wither. In fact the tree is so well rooted by the stream and fed by the life it brings that it even produces fruit!

My favorite picture of this is in Exekiel 47. After the Lord builds his temple for his glory to reside, a stream of water flows out into the desert towards the Dead Sea. The river grows and grows until it is so huge Ezekiel can't cross it anymore.

In the Book, Ezekiel says that where the river enters the sea the salt water becomes fresh. Fish live there and trees grow along the edge and produce fruit every month. Their fruit provides food and their leaves provide healing.

Wow! I want to be that. I want that to happen. I want the River of God to flow out into the desert, a "Dead Sea," and I want to be one of those trees. I want to be a tree that is used to bring life in a desert place. I want to produce fruit every month. I want to be used to provide healing. I want to see the dead, salty earth not only become wet with Spirit of the LORD, but to change the dead, stale water into living springs of water.

Sorry for the gushy devo. I just get excited when the Book talks about deserts becoming places of life. I guess that is my heart. If you didn't know that already. :)

So when in doubt, be the tree.