“Behold the person who did not set God as his mountain stronghold! Instead he trusted in the abundance of his riches; and he strengthened himself in his evil desire.” But as for me, I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God. I trust in God’s covenant faithfulness forever and ever.
You know what’s so frustrating about horticulture? You can have the most ripe, fertile, hearty plant in the world, and if the mineral balance in the soil, or the temperature, or your watering methods are off by just a bit, that poor thing is going to flop, no matter how much it seems to be thriving at first. The place where it’s planted and the source of its strength matter just as much as the outward appearance and condition of the plant itself!
As an example, one year I planted a cherry tomato in my backyard. The town I live in is known for its mineral water, which permeates the soil. I barely thought of that, happily watering and nourishing my plant. It grew tall and proud and at last began to produce a crop!…of tomatoes roughly the size of a fingernail. Though the plant seemed healthy enough, it was actually very unwell due to the soil composition. Because it wasn’t rooted in the right things, it didn’t really flourish at all.
The same is true for mankind! Throughout the Psalms, we see writings about wicked people who place so much stock in the riches they obtain, but their roots and source of strength obviously don’t come from any place of God-fearing nobility; instead, they’re strengthened in their evil desires!
What becomes of these people? Well, judging by the way we’re told to behold them, it’s not a pretty outcome…more of a warning.
In contrast, the people of God flourish in the house of God! Sounds to me like a great foundation with all the assets needed for thriving!
Much like a secretly-unhealthy plant, one can seem healthy in the soil of riches and evil desire; but in the end, there’s nothing there to make them flourish. Their crop won’t be a satisfactory harvest. But you can’t hide the good fruit of a God-centric crop! When we trust—or you might say, when we are rooted in!—God’s covenant faithfulness, we are certain to flourish!
So let’s put forth the effort to ensure we are trees blooming in the house of God, not in our own strongholds! Let’s rely on His covenant faithfulness, not in riches or our own sinful desires. When we prioritize the good foundation of God’s will, we are certain to flourish…and people will know God deserves the glory for it when they see our fruit!
