I live in a state that you are supposed to be able to grow things. The problem I am encountering is that I don’t have any soil. All I have is sand. Although those of you with clay soil might be admiring me, sand doesn’t hold any moisture. The water I do apply just flows right through. But at least I don’t get soggy feet on my plants. I long for the days of rich, loamy soil. So I am working to amend my soil. It is going to take years of adding compost. You see, the compost washes through the sand as well when it breaks down over time.
You see, I don’t have a necessary ingredient for my garden: an irrigation system. The sun dries out my plants. Even if I water every morning, by the time the afternoon sun hits them, they start to wither. And I have learned that I need to do micro-irrigation, directing water to individual plants, not the big sprinkler heads spraying water into the street. I don’t care about the weeds that are the stuff of my lawn, I just want my plants and vegetables to survive and produce fruit.
I wish I had a stream on my property, though not one that floods. Yes, I am picky. But even then, we can go months without much rain, so streams tend to dry up. And I don’t want a swamp, a common moisture source around me.
Our text tells us that if we are living our life close to the LORD, hanging around with the right kind of folks, taking counsel from other pilgrims on this journey, and soaking ourselves in the Scriptures, then we will be fruitful. It is not because of something we do, any more than a tree planted by a stream creates the streambed. The source of the moisture that sustains the tree is controlled by someone else. If the tree happens to be planted there, it will find moisture.
That is why it is important for us to be planted by fellow Jesus-followers who are drawing on the resources of the Word. The deeper our roots, the more water can be drawn during the inevitable dry seasons of life. Shallow roots mean that water needs to be provided from above on a more regular schedule. Think irrigation system. But when roots are deep, there is little worry about wilting even in the driest seasons. Think ground water.
And when fruit trees have enough water at their disposal, they produce fruit. I know, sunshine is needed as well, but all the sunshine won’t help if there is no water. People can have all the needed elements of the Christian walk, but if they lack the washing of the Word, they will dry up and become unfruitful. Hearing a sermon once a week won’t make us fruitful any more than watering my plants once a week is enough to prevent wilting and death in my hot, sunny climate.
If we aren’t nourishing ourselves in the Word, then we will become like tumbleweed. We have no roots. We have no fruits. We serve no purpose. Or maybe I should say, if we aren’t vitally connected to the LORD our lives lead to destruction.
The Arnold Journey 