Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Squealing children run through the bright autumnal fall beneath the regal oak as it sighs upon their heads magnificent orange, red and yellow. Arms outstretched, the tree resigns to its destiny to be as though dead for the next five months. It’s been a good summer. Birds have nested and their young have fledged. The sun has streamed upon its majesty in the glow of green but now the tree is dying to its former brilliance and yet, somehow glorious in its dying. Beneath the soil it survives and strengthens. Slowly with every passing day of winter its ancient roots take hold, bravely extending deeper and deeper into the earth so that at the next season of green, it will be more secure to boldly reach from glory to glory.
We read in Scripture, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me,” and “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” Like that oak tree that appears to die when the autumn comes, so we appear to die when we surrender to Christ. We all have that old sinful nature to crucify in the promise that we will live in Christ. In Christ we become new creations; old things pass away and all things become new.
Sometimes God requires that we lay down our dreams or aspirations. Sometimes it’s for our good that we need to surrender ambitions before we can know God’s fresh new life. Scripture makes it clear, the former things have come to pass and God is declaring things new. As you surrender to the autumn, like an oak tree glorious in its dying, so you will soon yield pleasing fruit in the new season. Whatever you do will prosper.
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Galatians 2:20 1 Peter 2:24 Isaiah 42:9 Don’t give up, look up and pray “As I die to the old self, I know, in you, I am glorious in my dying.”
“Dear Lord, forgive me for holding onto old ambitions. I know now that these have come to pass and that you have new things in store for me. I choose to let go of past dreams, ideals and aspirations – I crucify the old life – that I may flourish as a tree planted by streams of water. As I die to the old self, I know, in you, I am glorious in my dying. Amen.”
— Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa Dudley Anderson began writing for radio in 1994. Dudley currently writes a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought called GodTracker and has complied 2 devotional books based on GodTracker. More information at surereaity. net