The Maple Tree and Psalm 1

 

Well, our maple trees finally have a brilliant read color in the front yard!  We have had such a drought that I didn't know if they would have such a nice color, but they do "get a drink" from the irrigation system about every day, even during a bone dry summer.  I was happy to see the red leaves through my bedroom window the other morning.  The sun shone on them so brightly in the morning light that they almost made the walls a pink color!  

I got to thinking about why these trees have such a gorgeous color while so many other trees in our area have already had brittle, brown leaves fall off their branches.  They were getting their daily dose of water! It reminded me of Psalm 1.

BOOK I
Psalms 1–41

 ¹ Blessed is the one
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
   or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers

I really love this Psalm because it reminds me to stay close to the Lord and His Word, to think about it all the time.  Although we don't have a stream in our yard, our tree was watered every day and in time yielded these beautiful autumn colors.  The leaves have not withered yet and they are able to hang onto the tree a bit longer because of that cool water. 

I think that this Psalm doesn't give us an open invitation to do whatever we want and still "prosper", but when we are staying so close to the Lord that we delight in his Word and walk with Him, He will bless us.  Wouldn't you rather be a gorgeous, bright, vibrant leaf still hanging onto the tree, than a dry, brown leaf crumbled on the ground?  Let's get our daily - or hourly - drink of water from the Lord by studying His Word and thinking of Him!