STAYING FRESH AND FLOURISHING
My favourite Psalm is no. 92 and especially verses 12-15
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon
Those who are planted in the House of the Lord,
Shall flourish in the courts of our God
They shall still bear fruit in OLD AGE
the shall be FRESH (fat) and FLOURISHING
To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
I had a lovely birthday yesterday, and we both talked and Skyped with our children and grandchildren.
As I enter my 73 year, I cannot help but be aware of the “SIGNS OF AGING” physically, for example I
Have hearing aids
Have 2 replacement knees
Have glasses
Do not have my own teeth.
have other typical ailments that go with increasing age.
For hundreds of years people have been searching for the “Fountain of Youth” and although people are living longer, still old age creeps up on them and they pass away.
Before I look at the signs of aging in the believer, let us highlight some of the things the Psalmist has to say,
v.13 We must be planted in the House of the Lord.
We must be committed to a local church not just an attender, there may not be many things we can do, but we can pray for the leadership, the needs and challenges of our church. WE can be a “father ” or “mother” to younger believers.
v.13 Tells us if we do this we will FLOURISH
v.12 12 tells us how we will Flourish,
(1) Like a palm tree (not a coconut palm but a date palm), This is known as the sweetest fruit of all, In old age we do not have to become grumpy old men or women but ever sweeter.
(2) Grow like a cedar in Lebanon, cedars have a very long root system, there roots can go as deep as the tall cedars (over 100 feet) grow above. We must put our roots down deep in the Word, spend time in green pastures and drink the “still waters” (Psalm 23)
3. The result v.14
(a) still bear fruit in old age, I want to be like the branch in John 15 that bears MORE FRUIT, not have the attitude, of settling down and having a “retirement mentality”.
(b) Fresh or (FAT) and flourishing. natural fatness is not good (especially in old age) but God promises the believer who maintains and increases his spiritual appetite he with be satisfied with the Lord’s goodness and with abundance (fatness) Jer. 31.14.
(c) We will not be able to stay quiet, but declare God’s uprightness, and that he is our ROCK, and that he is totally consistent in every way.
In the next blog, I will start to highlight the signs of “spiritual aging” and give the permanent cure.
Thank you again for all the positive comments regarding my “Personal testimony”, please keep them coming, You may not agree with everything I say please feel free to respond, but don’t throw the “baby (truth) out with any bathwater ok ?
