Katie Nelson

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers…” -Psalm 1:3

Who is that person? The one who is rooted next to a life source that makes him strong, enduring, and steadfast no matter what comes his way?

I want to be that person.

Psalm 1 begins, “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, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night…”

And follows up with, “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.”

Who is that person?

The one whose delight is in the Word of God. 

But, sometimes, I just think on and read God’s Word for my own glory and my own knowledge. I want to be the one who has it all together… someone who loves Jesus and others well – but not out of an outflow of my true love for Jesus. I want Jesus’ qualities without spending time with Him because honestly, it feels like a lot of work to let Him search my heart and know me. He’ll see my wrong motives and He’ll tell me to lay aside my ambitions… and He’ll show me that He doesn’t need me. That only by abiding in His love there is life because apart from Him I can do nothing… and I’ll be confronted with my own desire to be in control, to be god. And I’ll realize I’m not, and I shouldn’t be…

And once I spend time in God’s Word, He’ll help me to come to all these conclusions – and although it’s a painful process, that strips me of my pride, He does it out of love. He’s freed me and continues to. Because of His great love and mercy, I’m not a slave to my performance – I could never do enough. I’m not caught in my self-evaluating – I’ll never measure up. I’m free to confess all of this in light of the Gospel, the good news, the truth.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 6:18-21

Jesus has freed all of us. I hope you’ll take time to check out this article/video if you feel like a mess, you feel like you have to have it all together, desire to know God or ever wondered: What is the Gospel?