Recently I was reading Psalm 52. I make it a practice to read at least one Psalm each morning. The Psalmists seem to echo the thoughts and prayers of my heart, and I resonate with them so deeply.
In Psalm 52:8-9, the Psalmist, David, writes, “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name for your name is good.”
What would make the Psalmist want to be like an olive tree?
As I was thinking about that question, I did a little research. Did you know…
The root system of an olive tree can withstand almost any disaster. “The root system of the olive tree is so robust that it’s capable of regenerating itself even when the above-ground structure of the tree is destroyed by frost, fire or disease.”(1)
Olive trees are incredibly fruitful. Many olive trees are over 1,000 years old. They are steady and in life for the long haul. In fact, one olive tree reported in Croatia still produces fruit today though it is dated to be about 1,600 years old.
Olive oil produced from olive trees was considered sacred. It was used to anoint priests and kings to their office. It was also symbolic of the Holy Spirit (Leviticus 2:1-2).
Imagine with me what it would be like to be a person with roots so deeply grounded in God’s character that even when life’s disasters hit, they don’t topple your faith. Imagine living a life so fruitful that your impact and legacy went on for years. Imagine the Holy Spirit flowing from your life bringing hope and healing to others.
The key to becoming like an olive tree, according to the Psalmist, is that we put our hope and trust in God’s name. Each of the names of Jesus provides insight into God’s character. As we learn to know those names, it becomes easier to put our trust in God.
Gather some friends and dive into what it looks like to trust God. Tethered Trust is a very short study meant for you to do with a few close girlfriends. You can easily do it in a weekend away together or as a small group 4 week study. Purchase here.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Becky HarlingFeatured Image by leszek_kruk from Pixabay
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