MOVE TO THE RIVER

MOVE TO THE RIVER

Psa. 1:3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

I often think of the special season Parris and I experienced when we went to Bible School in California shortly after we were married. One of those memories was our trips to the San Joaquin River that was near our Bible College. There was nothing like the cool refreshing waters of that river on those hot summer afternoons in the San Joaquin Valley. That valley is actually more like an irrigated desert. The areas that were not irrigated were barren and desert like. I remember noticing the incredible, distinct contrast of the plants growing near the river in comparison to those far away. All along the river was growth; trees, grass, bushes; everything was flourishing and green. Just several hundred yards away from the river everything turned barren, very little could survive away from the river. That brings us to the analogy in today’s verse. We must live by God’s river if we want to flourish, everything away from God’s river is stunted and barren. Here are some comments by Spurgeon about the importance of this spiritual river.

“By the rivers of water; so that even if one river should fail, he hath another. The rivers of pardon and the rivers of grace, the rivers of the promise and the rivers of communion with Christ, are never failing sources of supply. He is “like a tree planted by the rivers of water”, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; not unseasonable graces, like untimely figs, which are never full flavoured. But the man who delights in God’s Word, being taught by it, bringeth forth patience in the time of suffering, faith in the day of trial, and holy joy in the hour of prosperity. Fruitfulness is an essential quality of a gracious man, and that fruitfulness should be seasonable.”

A.B. Simpson spoke about the River of the Holy Spirit and how He is critical to our spiritual well being.

“The river is the Holy Ghost; the planting, the deep, abiding life in which, not occasionally, but habitually, we absorb the Holy Spirit; and the fruit is not occasional, but continual, and appropriate to each changing season. His life is also prosperous, and his spirit fresh, like the unfading leaf. Such a life must be happy. Indeed, happiness is a matter of spiritual conditions. Put a sunbeam in a cellar and it must be bright. Put a nightingale in the darkest midnight, and it must sing.”

So maybe you feel like you are in some sort of spiritual desert, life may seem to be barren with little or no spiritual fruit. Take a trip to the river, even better, move to the river. As David said, we need more than just occasional trips to the river, if we want to prosper in life we have to move there.