The Psalms - 1

How well God must like you –
You don’t hang out at sin saloon,
You don’t slink along Dead-end Road
You don’t go to Smart-mouth college.

Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
You chew on Scripture day and night
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
Bearing fresh fruit every month.
Never dropping a leaf
Always in blossom.

You’re not at all like the wicked,
Who are mere windblown dust-
Without defense in court,
Unfit company for innocent people.

God charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row.

- The Message

I was struck by the imagery of a tree replanted in Eden. A life devoted to scripture – living and breathing scripture. That is a life devoted to God’s way in this world makes a bold stand in the world that is a reminder of Eden. When we allow our lives to be transformed by scripture we remind the world what life was like in Eden – and what life will be like in the coming Garden city. Personal holiness then is not private – just between God and me, but is a public declaration that there is a better way to be human, a way full of love mercy and hope. Faithfully living to God’s word, is faithfully living as God always desired.

The image of the tree is one of sturdiness and life, contrasted to that of windblown dust. All life is from “dust”, but lives not lived as God desired are a waste – they are not living as the image bearers of God and not really living. The point though is not the dust – it is the beautiful tree of life that is a faithful to one whose image they bear.

I can say I thrill to God’s word. More than a manual on right living it is a beautiful story that I am being asked to live in, participate in, and act out in this world. Let us all thrill to God’s word and in doing so be sturdy trees of Eden in this despairing world.

May the tree of life people reflect the image of God.