Read: Psalm 92:5-15
The righteous flourish like the palm tree. (v. 12)
If you have ever tried to grow a plant from seed, then you know that there is one key ingredient over which you have no control: time. No matter how often you check the soil for tiny green shoots, the underground transformation that a seed needs to sprout is different for each kind of seed and plant. It takes the time that it takes.
Just like seeds and plants, it takes time for God to develop the kind of character in us that we need to flourish; he knows just the right conditions in which we flourish best. The writer of Psalm 92 contrasts the quick-growth grass of the wicked (v. 7) with the long, deeply rooted growth of the palm tree and cedar (v. 12), which represent righteous lives. We don’t pursue righteousness so we can earn the right to flourish but because we are people who long to grow more and more into God’s image and likeness. Flourishing is the result of righteous living—not the starting point.
Being planted in God’s house and thriving in God’s presence create the best conditions for flourishing. Although it takes time and trust, we’re encouraged to patiently dwell in the presence of the Lord so we’ll flourish like a tree in God’s care. Those who do so will “still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green” (v. 14). As we grow in God, we can be confident knowing that he’s always working within the soil of our lives.
As you pray, ask God to show you the fruit that’s being cultivated in you in this season of life.
Katelyn J. Dixon is a contemplative writer, speaker, and poet living in the Seattle area. In her free time, Katelyn enjoys cooking, photography, and exploring the enchanting Pacific Northwest with her husband, Drew, while partnering with him in life and ministry.
