“GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A TREE”
(**On Day 5 of each week, we will learn about one of the practices of Jesus. These practices give us practical, daily ways to experience life with Jesus. If you need to review the reason for the practices, check out Week 1 – Day 5 – Coffee Mugs.**)
In the Ancient Middle East, trees were a big deal. They provided food and shade. They were landmarks in a world without Google Maps. Many religions at the time believed that trees were a meeting place between humans and the gods.
When the writer of Psalm 1 calls the righteous person a “tree”, they are giving their reader a profound vision for their potential.
GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A TREE
Psalm 1 describes a person blessed by God as a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3 ESV)
Welcome to the life God envisions for you.
What if your life was like a tree: a place of nourishment and refreshment, a place where people encountered God?
A tree planted by streams of water: You have a constant source of nourishment where you continually receive life, hope, and refreshment.
That yields its fruit in season: God’s goodness will shine from your life. He will transform your character to look like Jesus. You will love others as Jesus did. Many will become Christians because of God’s work through you.
Its leaf does not wither: You can withstand drought and storm. During difficult times, when others crumble, you stand strong and faithful.
In all that he does, he prospers: You accomplish every plan God has for your life.
What if your life was like a tree: a place of nourishment and refreshment, a place where people encountered God?
HOW TO BECOME A TREE
The writer of Psalm 1 doesn’t just tell us that God wants us to be a tree. They tell us how to become one.
His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2 ESV).
At the time when this was written, the law of the LORD meant the first five books of the Bible. Today, we have access to the entirety of scripture. We become “trees” by delighting in scripture and meditating on it day and night.
DONUTS, DUMBBELLS, AND DELIGHT
There is a great difference between desire and delight.
I desire six-pack abs. That may be embarrassing, but I do. Whenever I see a ripped dude in a movie, something inside me says, “I want to be like that.” Part of me genuinely believes that one day I will get crazy in the gym and achieve six-pack abs.
I desire a six-pack. The problem is, I delight in Krispy Kreme.
My desire cannot be achieved when my delight is in donuts. If I want a six-pack, I have to delight in dumbbells.
I desire a six-pack. The problem is, I delight in Krispy Kreme.
Most of us desire an incredible walk with God. But here is the question: What are we delighting in? We can discover delight in a million ways. Many of them aren’t morally evil. But often, our temporary delights deter us from what we desire.
According to Psalm 1, we delight in God’s word by meditating on it day and night.
ACTUALLY, WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
Before we learn to practice delighting in scripture, let’s learn 4 important keys about it:
1: Scripture is God’s Word – Although the Bible was written by human hands, it was inspired by God. Every word has authority over our lives because God spoke it. The apostle Paul says that All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
2: Scripture is a library – The Bible is a collection of 66 books. It has various genres (history, instructional teaching, prophecy, wisdom poetry), authors, and original audiences.
Not only did Jesus believe in the importance of scripture. He operated with the belief that it was about him.
3: Scripture is one story – This week we discovered that the Bible, with all its diversity, tells one story – God’s redemption of fallen humanity. The story is divided into two sections – The Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT).
4: Jesus loved scripture – Our ultimate goal is to follow Jesus, who had a high view of scripture. He often quoted the Old Testament (and most likely had it memorized).
Not only did Jesus believe in the importance of scripture. He operated with the belief that it was about him. In the gospel of John, Jesus spoke to a group of experts on the Old Testament and said You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. (John 5:39 ESV)
Understanding these four facts will give us great clarity as we dive into our practice of studying scripture.
HOW TO PRACTICE READING SCRIPTURE
The best way to read scripture is to work your way through books of the Bible. Read from the beginning to the end of a book, then move on to another one. One great method for reading scripture is to use the S-O-A-P method.
Pray First – God wrote the Bible, and God lives in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His Word to you.
S: Scripture – Slowly read a passage of scripture. You can read one chapter, two, or just a few verses a day. Read for quality, not quantity.
O: Observation – Approach scripture as a detective approaches a crime scene. Take time to notice every detail: the main characters, the setting of the story, the big idea of the text. Ask why God chose to include this story in the narrative.
Next, we will learn how scripture applies to our lives. But first, we want to learn what the Bible says. Each passage was written to a specific audience for a particular purpose. Seek to understand that purpose.
A: Apply – After you have observed, ask how to apply the scripture to your life. As you read, ask yourself the following questions:
- What does this passage tell me about God and His story?
- Is there a command to obey?
- A promise to believe?
- A warning to listen to?
- A truth to meditate on?
P: Prayer – After reading, spend time praying through the scriptures. Use what you read as a launching pad to start a conversation with God. This is called meditating on scripture (how we become a tree).
In the Ancient Middle East, trees were a big deal.
The Hebrew word for meditating can also be translated “mutter” or “muse”. When we meditate on God’s Word, we repeatedly return to the passage to soak our minds in scripture. Our goal is for the Bible to shape our minds and hearts.
Over the past few days, we’ve been meditating on passages of scripture as we practice Solitude. Starting today, we’ll read the book of Mark. As you read, spend time meditating on the stories that you read about Jesus.
Let’s delight in scripture together.
NEXT STEPS
1: Read Mark 1.
2: Spend 5-10 minutes in Solitude reflecting on one of the stories in Mark 1. Write in your journal what God spoke to you.
3: Text one friend one thing that you learned.
Bonus: Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of “Sermon Prep” by Pastor Jim Gallagher. (It may seem odd to watch videos on sermon prep, but these two videos will help you immensely in reading and understanding the scripture.)
Congrats! You’ve made it through Week 2 of the North Star journey. Next week, we’ll start with Week 3 – Day 1 – “More Than Marvel”