Bible reading: Psalm 1v1-3
‘Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 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.’
Reflection: My wife Sue and I love to walk in the countryside, more often than not along the banks of a lake, river or stream. A common sight on such walks is the prevalence of trees growing by the river-side. Often, the trees are visibly leaning towards the water. Almost always they are strong, healthy and full of leaf. Constant access to the water, together with sunlight, carbon dioxide and soil- based nutrients, ensures that the trees situated by the water-side will enjoy long- term health, life and fruitfulness.
The very first statement at the beginning of the 150 Old Testament psalms uses the same picture of healthy and fruitful trees growing next to water as an analogy of a healthy, happy and fruitful life. In the spiritual context, the water which enables a flourishing, fruitful life is the Word of God. Constant attention to, and delight in, the words which the Lord speaks in the scriptures are the secret of spiritual health and success, as surely as access to natural water enables trees to thrive. Alongside this comes the observation that refusal to walk in step with the wicked, to stand on the path of sin and to sit in the company of scoffers will remove the potential for harm and disease that would blight life and hinder fruitfulness. According to Psalm 1, allowing the Word of God to feed us is both our duty and our joy. As we pray for a harvest of fruitfulness at every level of society, we ask the Lord to give us grace to avoid the things that would destroy our spiritual health, and to embrace the life-giving truth of God’s Word on a daily basis. (Robert Mountford – City Vision)
Give thanks for the word of God preached and lived out each week in the UK.
Prayer points:
for local businesses and community initiatives to prosper in our city;
for growing churches as the blessing of God rests on His people in our nation;
for creative governments to help overcome the economic squeeze in European nations over recent years.