"Conversations with God"
This is our second message in our series, “A Life of Praying.” This week we are looking at Psalm 1:1-6.
The writer offers us this wonderful and powerful picture of “a tree planted by streams of water.” I see a strong oak tree with deep roots clinging to the earth even as ferocious winds assail its branches. When the season is right, the tree yields its fruit. It seems that even out of season, I picture a time of drought, even then the “leaf does not wither.” You see the tree’s roots are deep and most important, the tree is nourished by the ever-running steam of water it is planted by.
How would you explain in your what the “streams of water” are meant to represent?
Looking at verses 1-2, how does one become a “tree planted by steams of water?” Can you give specific examples of how this might take place in your life?
The “the law of the Lord” (most literally referring to the first five books of the Jewish Bible) came to refer to the whole of the Jewish Scriptures which is our Old Testament. So, for you and me as Christians, the Old Testament and the New Testament. God speaks to us through the words of the Bible. God transforms our lives through these words. These words have power and accomplish God’s transforming work in your life. God tells us in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” These words are the head waters of the “streams of water” which we desire God to plant us by.
How might we make ourselves open to the “word that goes out” from God in the Bible?
How might the above influence the way you are praying? What if your praying is NOT connected to the words of the Bible; the words that go out from God’s mouth; the streams of water?
In a similar vain, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Johns 4:14, “‘…. whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” Once again, “water” of some nature comes to represent God speaking to you and me. This time, the speaker is God-the-Son who can be seen and touched. “God-with-us.” His words sustaining you through the ups and downs of this life.
What do you think specifically “the water” Jesus gives to us represents? How might these words become “a spring of water welling up to eternal life?” Be specific.
When you read the words of God in the Bible and then let these words guide the words of your praying, what do you think God will do in your life? Do you think God can do the same work in your life if you DO NOT stay connected with him through the words of the Bible?
Back to Psalm 1:3, “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Let the majesty of this picture rise in your soul. You and I can be trees like this – trees planted by water! Reading the Scriptures and letting God words guide our praying is the way we let God plant us by this “spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
I really hope you will let me know what you are experiencing in this message series.
See you Sunday.
picture: thanks to tim-mossholder on unsplash.