Bearing Fruit in Every Season

If I could choose one word for this new year, it would be season.

My life has seen many seasons. Seasons of childhood and growing. Seasons of new love and building a home. There have been seasons of children’s laughter and seasons of children’s sickness. Seasons of births and times when we have said goodbye to loved ones.

In our home, we had the season of boat building and the season of shed building. We had the season where we lived in an RV and the times when we seemed to move every year. Seasons of joy and sorrow and times that brought trial after trial into our lives.

Every year offers us a new season, and this year is no different. But what keeps us going season after season? How can we prosper in this world where so much is amiss?

I believe that God gives us the answer in Psalm one, verses one through three.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1 – 3, KJV).

As I read these verses, some important truths jump out at me.

God speaks of blessings for the person who does not follow the counsel or advice of the ungodly. This person also doesn’t idly hang around in the way of those who do not follow God. Nor does this person choose to spend time where the scornful and mockers gather. In other words, this person is careful about who he listens to for advice, who he hangs around with, and where he spends his time.

The next verse tells us what the blessed person does instead. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and he meditates in God’s law day and night. So, the blessed person gets his wisdom from God’s word. He spends time reading and thinking about God’s word. He delights in God’s word, so that he knows what it says. When decisions must be made, his guidance comes from the wisdom he has gained, not from ungodly counselors, but from God’s word.

Verse three also gives us the benefit of this lifestyle. The picture is of a tree by a river of water that doesn’t wither and that bears fruit in its season. There is no drought in this life. There is fruit bearing in the appropriate season. The tree is well watered. The blessed person prospers. There is a sense of steadiness and stability.

Verse three is what I want for my life – a life of fruit bearing in season. A life that doesn’t wither because it is watered by the Living Water.

Age doesn’t matter here. God does,

and He can keep us watered and fruitful every year as long as we delight in His law and in His word.

This year is my season. I’m trusting God for fruit.

How about you?

Father, I want to drink deeply of the water of Your word this year, and I want to be fruitful for You. Sink my roots deep in Your love and in Your grace. Let me stand firm in You regardless of the storms that may come. You are my Rock and my Redeemer. I trust in You. In Jesus’ name I pray.