The Flourishing of the Righteous - Like a Palm Tree, Like Acorn Tree

Psalm 92: 12 - 15

_ “ But the Godly shall flourish like palm trees, and grow as tall as cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the Lord’s own garden and are under his personal care. Even in old age, they will still produce fruit and be vital and green. This honours the Lord, and exhibits his faithful care. He is my shelter. There is nothing but goodness in him” –Living Bible_

It is God’s will for His children and His people to be prosperous, fruitful and to flourish. This is because God owns all things. The treasures of the earth are all His. The wonders we see are the works of His hands.

This will of God was evident in creation when God blessed man that man should increase and multiply and replenish the earth. The image of God imputed in man was such that man will be able to reproduce God’s own life and fill the earth with that nature.

God’s life has been the life of perfection and abundance, as such, all things would respond to the call of His word. Our reading passage in verse 15 denoted that the flourishing of the God’s people honours God and shows to the world how caring and loving God is.

God would want to make a boast of us through the life of fruitfulness and prosperity we exhibit in our world. However, it is pertinent to note that this fruitfulness is not a mere physical and material things. The fruitfulness stems from the spiritual where we are placed in the heavenlies far above the corruption of the world and above principalities, powers and evil rulings of this world. When our spiritual life flourishes, our marriages, career, health, business, education, family, vineyards, cannot help but flourish.

As metaphored in our focal scripture, palm tree is one unique creation that thrives and is fruitful all round the year – rainy to dry season. In our part of the world – Nigeria, palm tree has an amazing value chain:

• The stem is used as wood for buildings and furniture;
• The fronds are used to roof houses and raise crawling plants;
• The leaves are used as broom and green manure;
• The fruits are used as food and edible oil is also harnessed;
• The kernel is used as snack and contains oil used as edible oil and in oleochemical industries for soap making and cream;
• The shell recovered (when cracking to retrieve the kernels) are used as biomass material for heating;

Indeed, the uses of the bi-products of a palm tree is simply amazing and amassing. This shows how much God wills that we flourish. Every part of our lives is meant to be a blessing and fruit-bearing with a great value.

On the other hand, the Cedar tree is a huge tree that grows as high as fifty feet, but others can reach one hundred or more feet in height, and is a good source of hard wood for building homes and ornamental furniture. The spread of its branches gives a great shade for animals.

Psalm 1: 3 furthers that the flourishing of God’s people is not season-dependent. Our leaves is not meant to wither because we have our nourishment from God. Furthermore, there is success in everything the godly man sets His hand to do.

The qualification for our flourishing is

• Righteousness
• Being rooted in God
• Cared for by God

1. Righteousness

In verse 12 of our focal scripture reading, the King James version of the Bible says thus:

“but the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…” – KJV

This is a major qualification for an all-round flourishing. Being made in the image of God, we must share the attribute of God’s holiness and truth. Though man failed and fell short of God’s glory, Jesus became a token of our restoration and has become our righteousness.

Scripture says that Christ was made sin for us that we may become the righteousness of God. All we need to do is believe that we have this righteousness of Christ Jesus in us and thus, qualify for an all-round flourishing.

In Psalm 1: 1 - 2, there is the description of the righteous man:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (KJV)

The righteous man is not a man of mockery; he is not wicked but takes delight in God’s word and meditates this word day and night. Meditating the word of God becomes nourishment to our soul and bodies.

2. Being Rooted in God

"For they are planted in the courts of our God…” – Ps. 92: 13, KJV

The soil is what holds every plant and provides the needed nourishment and environment for the supply of nutrients. The enrichment of the soil is what determines how good the soil will be. Being rooted in God implies that we take our nourishing supplied from God Himself. This is one thing that qualifies us for an all-round flourishing.

For us to be fruitful, we have to dig deep our roots into God’s word, meditate on his word, and allow the word permeate through our system. Remember the scriptures in Joshua 1: 8, when we dwell in God’s word, our ways would be prosperous and we will have good success.

3. Cared for by God

“Even in old age, they will still produce fruit and be vital and green…” – v.14
God has actually undertaken to care and provide for us. He promised that even in old age, He will always be there to care and provide for our needs. Our God never sleeps and never slumbers. He watches over His people and He always cares for us – Hallelujah!

Conclusion

God has promised to make us flourish. He has never and will never faulter His word. We can be what He says if we believe and respond in obedience.

Concerning Telos Village

As regarding our Telos Village, the Arcorn tree is a tree of purpose and fruitfulness. May we all rise to be a part of this community and we shall live to tell the story.

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I see Steemchurch Telos Village. beyond a "conventional village setting." As captured above by @Sirknight in the working proposal, Telos Village is a community for the prosperity of the community.

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I am UYOBONG MBABA, your brother, teacher and analyst