Exemplify 预览

Meditate on Him 

  

I have found the secret of success hidden in the words of the very 1st Psalm. The writer starts out by describing an aspect of a righteous person’s behavior. They don’t get advice from the wicked and they don’t join in with mockery. They delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. This is key, the righteous spend their time meditating on God’s word, and they are excited by it. This is the key to success, and to exemplifying Christ. I’m not saying you have to listen to only gospel music or walk around with a bible tied around your neck. But I am suggesting that getting an understanding about God’s word is vital to your personal development. 

The next verse in the 1st Psalm is truly inspiring. In the KJV it says that he would be like a tree bringing forth “his fruit in his season”. When I thought about the fact that it’s not only that we all bear fruit, but the tree produces fruit when it’s the right season - and tree needs the right climate to produce that specific fruit. For example, apple trees flourish in the brisk northern climates whereas an orange tree would require warm southern American climate. We not only have a tailored fruit, our fruit has a tailored season and a tailored tree. So we can’t look at other people and say well they are doing so good and we started at the same time, that’s means I’m a failure. No! It means it’s not your season yet. No one else can bare your fruit but you. The best way to avoid becoming disgruntled in your growing season is to remind yourself to meditate on God. When you make the conscious effort to pursue him, the process of growth won’t seem as trying because he’s with you each step of the way.

As I think of what we all endure in our lives, I realized that the tree holds ok to its true identity. Even when the tree has nothing on its branches it’s still an Apple tree. It’s just waiting on the right season to bring forth the fruit. The tree does not allow its current condition to affect its understanding of its own identity. In other words, you are not what you went through – you are what God called you. We all have trees that seem almost tailored to us. When I speak of trees, I am talking about those so called rough moments in our lives, and those lonely nights where it would be so easy to do the wrong thing. These rough times are our trees. They are used by God to help produce our fruit. We all have a Tailored Tree. There is an old gospel song that says “Must Jesus bare the cross alone and all the world go free? No there’s a cross for everyone and there is a cross for me” and just as Jesus put on our sins in preparation for his Tailored Tree, it is our job to wear his righteousness. That is our “Tailored Tree” we must die to this world and realize that we are on “life support” we are dead to this world and our real life is hidden in Christ. We are only alive through Christ working as a form of life support. 

Our Tailored Tree is exemplifying Christ, committing to be like him, through the redemptive power of the Holy Spirit. Meditating on this fact only grows you closer to exemplifying him in all that you do!

Prayer Starter: God help this reader to see the beautiful plan you have for their life. Remind them that you are prepared to blow their mind, and you will perform miracles in and through their life. Help them to never forget that they are here for a specific reason. Help them to live a life that will mirror their love you have for us. You said in Psalm 1 to meditate on your word day and night, so I pray that the reader does just that so that they can continue to exemplify you everyday for the rest of their lives. In Jesus name Amen!