Some people have a green thumb—plants flourish under their care. Others have a “black thumb”—their plants just never seem to make it. When the “black thumbers” walk through the store, plants plead, “Please don’t buy me! Oh, please don’t buy me!”
One of the great analogies in the Bible is in Psalm 1, verse 3. After talking about the blessed man, who continually meditates on the Word of God, the Psalmist says, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water….”
Trees are one of the most unique aspects of God’s creation. There are literally hundreds of varieties of trees, but they are all divided into two categories: deciduous trees—those that lose their leaves, and non-deciduous—those that don’t lose their leaves (these trees are often called “evergreen trees” because they are always green).
Now there is an analogy here, because there are two kinds of people: those who don’t have eternal life—who will lose everything in the final judgment, and those who have everlasting life. Like the evergreen tree that prospers in the harsh winter, these people will prosper in the judgment.
Well, here in Psalm 1:3 God likens the blessed person to a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. That means that this tree is in the most advantageous place possible. It is planted where it has a ready supply of water.
The word “planted” is a word that literally means “to transplant.” To transplant, is to take a tree that’s not doing well in one place (due to lack of sun or water, or space) and to put it in a more advantageous place so that it can prosper.
Well, that’s what God does with us. In Colossians 1:13 we read that we have been translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son. That means that, spiritually speaking, God has transplanted us to a place where we can get the full benefit of the sun, and the full benefit of the water of life. We are like a tree planted by the rivers of water.
Say — Ask yourself, “Am I taking advantage of that water supply? Am I drinking in God’s Word?”