By Caro January 5, 2024
You don’t need a degree in biology to understand that stagnant water doesn’t produce anything good. Bacteria multiply there, and so do odors! To be invigorating, water needs to be in motion. Just like our relationship with God.
In the final chapter of the last book of the Bible, God uses this principle to once again show us the life produced by a constantly moving stream of water. “And he shewed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of its street, and of the river, on this side and on that side, the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, in each month yielding its fruit; and the leaves of the tree for healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2 Darby). The river flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb is a river of living water, flowing continuously. And because water is life-giving, the tree of life produces fruits suitable for consumption every month, and also offers healing through its foliage. When water flows regularly, fruits are produced regularly.
This image should convince us to maintain regular communication with our Heavenly Father and the Lamb. If we let His Word, His Presence, flood us every day, we will see positive results in our lives. That is what the psalmist also taught. “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” (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV). If we seek to be “blessed,” we need a constant flow of God’s Word in our lives. Listening to the “advice” of pagans, all the chatter on our social media, our life produces nothing good. Many modern motivators give all kinds of recipes for finding happiness and being prosperous, but the Bible (which is a much more reliable source!) is very clear: we need a constant flow of Scripture in our daily lives.
For some, these verses mean getting back to connecting with the source. For others, these verses tell us to stop clinging to revelations received 10 years ago and seek new revelations. Your daily time with God may need a change. Try a new version of the Bible. Start a different reading plan than last year. Pray in writing instead of praying out loud; standing instead of sitting. Change location to study the Word. Create a new playlist of Christian hymns to accompany your devotional time. Add fifteen minutes of reflection in the evening or during lunch. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you! As in all romantic relationships, we must find new ways to express our love and fan our flame to prevent our relationship from becoming stagnant.
Through His life-giving Word, God will tell us what to do and what to avoid to be successful in our projects. His teachings will change our character so that we can be in the image of Christ. We will react differently to our circumstances, and we will therefore have a different result. As the passage in Revelation and the Psalms says, our life will bear fruit and bring healing around us and within us.
By the way, when a tree produces fruit, it is not for its own benefit, but for those who will enjoy it. It would be wise to start looking at success, our prosperity, by looking at what it gives to others around us. God’s promises of riches are always there to enable us to be generous. Are those around us edified and encouraged by our presence, our words, and our actions? Are we a tree that nourishes those around us? As Jesus left our world, He asked us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Do the fruits of our life make other Christians we meet grow? Connect daily to the life-giving source of God’s Word, and you will bring healing to this world.