Get the appLike a Tree – DevotionalSample
YOUR STRENGTH
The Trunk That Holds It All Up
“Above all… put on love…” - Colossians 3:14 (NIV)
“If I… give all I possess… but do not have love, I gain nothing.” - 1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)
Big Idea: Love is the load-bearing center of a life with God—without it, everything eventually collapses.
A mature tree is not held up by leaves or fruit. It’s held up by the trunk’s heartwood. Heartwood is the dense inner strength that holds weight and withstands storms. Spiritually, love is that heartwood. It’s not optional, it’s structural.
Without love, good works degrade into self-promotion, truth becomes harsh, ministry becomes machinery, and endurance turns into resentment. Scripture doesn’t treat love as one virtue among many. It calls love “the most excellent way.”
If you want a life that stands, start here: make love central. Love God with all you are. Love people in tangible ways. Let love bind your life together so what you do is not just impressive—but life-giving.
Reflection Questions:
- Where do you sense “structural weakness” right now—places where you’re doing much but loving little?
- What would it look like to put love back at the center of your work, home, church, or relationships?
- Is there a specific act of love God is prompting you toward that you’ve been postponing?
Prayer Focus: Lord, establish me in love. Strengthen the core of my life so my fruit has weight, integrity, and staying power.
Scripture
About this Plan
Psalm 1 describes the person who is like a tree planted by streams of water, whose leaves do not wither and who yields fruit in season. They are privately healthy, deeply planted and rooted in the Lord, and publicly fruitful. But how do we live like a tree? This 10-week devotional dives into the key principles of being rooted in God, delighting in His Word, and bearing lasting fruit for His Kingdom.
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We would like to thank Chicago Tabernacle for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://chicagotabernacle.org
