April 2, 2019
Psalm 92:12-15                        
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

New International Version (NIV)
               One of my good friends inherited a family ranch out in the country near San Antonio.  When he is not preaching excellent sermons and mentoring young ministers, he walks and works the land.  They have replanted the land with native grasses.  He is returning the land to its original condition. 

                In a picture of the place, I noticed a huge live oak tree with branches extending close to one hundred feet.  Texas A&M experts say the tree is 250 years old.  So before the American Revolution, a little oak tree started to grow in that prairie.  Now it gives shade to a circumference of nearly 100 feet.

                In a song for the Sabbath day, the Psalmist invites us to praise God.  He ends with a blessing of the righteous.  Like the 1st Psalm, the 92nd Psalm compares the righteous to a tree.  This tree is planted, not next to a river, but in the courts of the Temple.  The tree and the righteous continue to bear fruit in old age.  I once read that trees get stronger and stronger as they stop growing taller.  Like well-conditioned athletes they grow in strength even as they grow older.

                This is encouraging news for those of us who are wondering how long we can serve the Lord.  We can serve him for our whole lives.  As we grow more mature in the Lord, we need not become less fruitful.  Recent analysis tells me I can’t jump as high or run quite as fast as I used to.  But our spiritual condition allows us to grow for a lifetime.  

                Some of my favorite preachers preached until the day they died.  One pastor died in the pulpit.  Another claimed he was getting better at it into his eighties (there is hope for all of us).  Last week I ran into a prayer warrior whose prayers have born fruit in my life and in our church.  Her prayers grow stronger as she gets closer to the Lord and closer to the place prepared for her.  The Kingdom of God values the wisdom of the ages.  Bear fruit.  The best is yet to be.
Pray with me:    
Father, make us like oaks of righteousness, flourishing like palm trees, tall like cedars of Lebanon in your house.  Do more through us in our latter years than you did in our youth.  Let the wisdom we have gained through the years encourage the church for all the years to come.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.       
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 

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