WHERE ARE YOU PLANTED?

1.   Devotion- Where Are You Planted?          

   

          The picture on the right is the head of the stream where the river begins. The water is coming from a cave right there on the hillside which you do not see in the picture. The picture on the left is just a few feet away from the head of the stream. This area is a tourist attraction and is very beautiful. Just looking at how broad the river head is takes your breath away. I took this picture at Roaring River in Westmoreland, Jamaica about four or five years ago.

This morning (June 25, 2013), I was looking at the pictures that I took and as I looked at those taken of the river, right away the Holy Spirit ministered to me. The Scripture that came to mind was, “And you shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” Psalm 1:3. At the time I did not remember where the Scripture was found so I googled and found it. Psalm 42:1-2 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God.” Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

          As I gazed at the picture of the fresh, clean and beautiful water flowing in abundance, flowing endlessly, I thought of how Jesus asked the Samaritan Woman for water to drink then He told her in John 4:10 “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” In verse 13 Jesus went on to say, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

          Upon reflection I thought of the symbolic significance of water how it represents Salvation and cleansing. My soul rejoiced in thankfulness to God for forgiving me and cleansing my heart of my own sins. Looking at the water I thought of how Jesus went to John by the River Jordan to be baptized and the events that followed such as the Holy Spirit descending on Him as a dove and how He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

          I observed the plants by the river banks and they were healthy looking even though it was summer time when I took those pictures.

What is the lesson? God’s abiding and sustaining grace is able to keep us even in the “heat” of battle. Regardless of what we are going through if we faint not God will preserve us and bring honor to His name. We will be better for those trials. We will be strengthened and renewed. Our faith will grow beyond that of a mustard seed and our joy in the Lord will be full. At that time just be reminded that God is preparing you for the next challenge. Can God count on you? Can He use you in such times to bring honor to His name?

May God bless you richly. Please visit my Blog by clicking the link above and leave your thoughts to bless someone else. Sincerely, Dr. Jasmine Gordon