The
Word of God
is a firm foundation.
What do you do when you’ve received wise advice twice, even thrice? Dismiss? Consider? Or heed and follow? Whenever I’ve heard or read something twofold in a short amount of time, I take notice.
Quiet time in the wee hours of each morning resets my footing on a firm foundation, the Word of God. I find strength and encouragement to aid in facing the day, come what may. Using a daily devotional, I meditate on the words of Scripture and pray. What joy I experienced the morning God spoke two times to my heart from His word.
The recommended reading for that day—Psalm 1:1-3.
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do. (NLT)
The daily devotion was entitled “How to Succeed” by Dr. David Jeremiah. Who doesn’t desire accomplishment in their endeavors? The worldly way to success can be found in many self-help books that deliver details for achievement. The Bible also records methods of profit in the promises of God, but it comes with a caveat. Meditating on and living by God’s principles will produce many excellent benefits; godly success only comes when we submit our wills to God’s will and follow His instructions. It may not be achievement by the world’s standards, but it will bring victory to our souls.
I weighed the advice of the devotional writer while also concentrating on the worth of God’s words from the first Psalm. When I started to close my Bible, I noticed a highlighted section in the book of Jeremiah.
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land.
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NLT)
Trust in the LORD
and be blessed.
God had reinforced the lesson using a different book of the Bible. As I meditated on everything I had read, I began asking myself some questions. Do I want to be like a stunted shrub or a deep-rooted tree? Will I choose to turn away from the Lord or put my trust in Him? Will I walk in the ways of the wicked or delight in the word of God? Do I desire success the world’s way or God’s way?
Later that day I walked around my neighborhood, taking note of both natural and manmade environments. There are places to rest and places to play, all surrounded by many trees, small and large. Down an incline runs a small brook. Neither the hill nor the water upends any of the large trees. They are deeply rooted, having withstood their natural surroundings. I’ve only seen the effects of one tall tree that fell.
Deep-rooted trees denote the importance of standing firm on the word of God, not being swayed by the whims of society. Yet cultural norms and societal gauges exert much pressure on righteous living. Getting caught up in the ways of the world can cause sin and sorrow. But open the Scriptures and discover another nugget of truth about growing deep roots—Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
In light of the degenerate world we live in, where morals and morale seem to be declining every single day, I choose to listen to the wisdom of the Lord. Yes, I’ve made mistakes and suffered the consequences. God tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). But He offers us a chance to humbly repent of our sins and trust in the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. When we accept His offer and meditate on His Word daily, even bad circumstances won’t hinder our godly success.
I choose to stand, deeply rooted, on the word of God. What about you? Will you heed God’s advice and follow Him, regardless of the way the world goes? If so, like a deep-rooted tree, you will stand firm, bear fruit, and successfully weather the storms of the day.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
”