What Will Our Generation Do?

Recently while on an ocean liner I watched the swells in the ocean. They came continuously---never stopping---never a break. I began to liken them to the generations of man---a continuous flow of life. Some were larger than others. Some were even so large they broke into white at the crest. I thought of the generations of mankind. Some have been mild generations where life was placid. Others have been filled with turmoil. Some were "crests" in history. The generation of Moses, the generation of Daniel, the generation of Jesus which gave a new direction to history, the generation of Martin Luther. I can see the generation of 1776 made a large crest as did the generation of WWII. What will our generation do? Just barely make a swell or will we crest and truly make a difference?

Tree by the Rivers of Waters

In Psalm 1:3 the blessed man is described as a tree by the rivers of waters, which yields its fruit in season. Whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

I  keep seeing a principle in scripture about being rooted and  grounded. It reminds me that great trees do not appear overnight, but through steady, daily, yearly growth...growth brought about by extending their roots deep into the ground, searching for food and water. This root system creates stability. Paul uses this metaphor in his letters. Col 2:7...”rooted and built up in Him;” Eph 3:17 ...rooted and established: Col 1:23...”continue in the faith, grounded and settled.” This demands time. Time to extend our minds deep into His Word; to draw nourishment from it; to feed our souls with it; to draw on it when calamity strikes; to turn to it for comfort; to search it out for guidance and direction when choices loom before us; to look into it for encouragement when we get weary.

The tree of Psalm 1 is planted by the water. When winds of adversity blow, it anchors itself against the onslaught. It may become gnarled from the fight but it stands and is strengthened because of its deep roots. This tree produces fruit. It becomes mature and reproduces itself. There is no shortcut to this kind of tree or this kind of fruit.