LEAFLESS TREES!🌳

In prayer last week, I pondered on Psalm 1:3. Of course, it’s a verse we’ve all seen over and over again, but something struck me about it as I read it then. Psalm 1:1-3 reads:

[Ps 1:1] Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

[3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf ALSO shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

What struck me was the emphasis KJV made on the main event, and the how the events that followed looked like mere consequences of the initial act of the choices of such a man. Let me explain😅.

It dawned on me that the scripture said that this man first would bring forth fruit, and then also, his leaf would not wither. I’d never realized it but I immediately noticed that that equation was backward. So I googled ‘can a tree produce fruit without leaves?’ Amidst the rather technical answers I found, the bottom-line answer was ‘no’. My curiosity was peaking at this point. I googled ‘function of the leaf’, because my basic integrated science is just as my sins are in Christ – far removed from me😂. I found that the leaf is responsible for photosynthesis, which [I remember this one😁] is the means by which the tree feeds and thus produces fruits and vegetables.

I crosschecked with my scientist friend Ella. Her response – technically, they should, because fruits are formed from flowers. But chlorophyll is required to form glucose which goes into the production and growth of the fruit. So in the unlikely event that a tree has no leaves, it draws that glucose from the soil through its roots. Are you following or you’ve gone home?😂 Hang in there pal; it’ll make sense soon🤣.

I thought about the scripture again. This tree was already bringing forth fruit, and as an add on, its leaves ALSO did not wither; that same leaves that were supposed to be its source of strength enabling it to produce fruit. This tree’s source was not food from its leaves. In fact, if you give it a careful thought, it seemed like it did not need its leaves at all to begin with.

The health of its leaves was a mere consequence of his rootedness near the rivers of water – its true source.

Look at the beautiful word Jeremiah gave in Jeremiah 17:7 & 8:

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

Never fails to bear fruit, why? Because it has a constant source that far exceeds the natural course of productivity and sustenance and fruitfulness! And though he needs no leaves, the scripture promises that he will never run out of them, because they will not wither! What a mystery!🥱

Think of a man who is plugged into God; whose source is not of himself or his earthly springs of provision or his calculated religiosity! He flourishes without explanation because his very source is the Lord God of Heaven! What’s even more amazing is that though this man needs none of these, even then will he abound in them! And as I write I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Mark 10:29 & 30:

No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life.”

The benefits run not only in the age to come, brethren, but in this present age. So while the things in my life that may be leaves may differ totally from yours, the effect of their presence is singular – they have the semblance of being the source of sustenance and growth, but are merely consequences of your establishment in the true source – God. Your job may be an example. Your acts of service may be an example. Even your ministry or labour in the Lord may be an example. Recognize that your one true source is He who has promised to lead you beside springs of water [Isaiah 49:10]. And as you stay focused on Him, the things that have a semblance of topmost priority that may threaten your very existence if you place second to Him will in themselves flourish as a mere consequence of your consciousness of, and your faithfulness to your one true source. If today’s piece was too technical for you to understand, one of my favourite scriptures is a perfect summary of everything I’ve said in this piece:

He is BEFORE all things, and in him do ALL THINGS hold together! – Colossians 1:17

Love,

Rad!💝