The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of July 27
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!” (Psalm 92: 12-15)
Do you know an elderly friend or relative who simply shines, vital and exuberant, with a kind of inner light? This inner light is less about a person’s physical vitality – he or she may be immobile or dealing with a chronic illness – but rather, is a spiritual vitality that lights a person from within, despite their circumstances.
The key to nurturing this kind of spiritual vitality is in the word “transplanted” in these verses. A person who glows with a spiritual vitality has separated him or herself from the lure and entanglement of earthly pursuits, and instead has put down strong and durable roots in God. He or she focuses not on earthly treasures such as material wealth, ambition, success or even physical well-being, but on the treasures that are found only in “the Lord’s own house” – joy, peace, love, contentment, faith and gratitude. Their rootedness in God enables them to flourish and bear fruit well into old age.
Today let us ask ourselves where we are living right now and where we have planted our roots. Are we trying to find sustenance and fulfillment in a parched land that cannot sustain us? Perhaps it’s time for us to pull up our roots and transplant ourselves in God.
Gracious God, please help me clearly see where I am living these days. Am I firmly rooted in Your house, or am I struggling to grow and thrive in an arid land that cannot sustain me? Please help me see where I need to be transplanted in order to flourish more fully in You. Amen.