Old Trees Still Bear Fruit

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing. Psalm 92:13–14 (NKJV)

Paul wrote: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all. 1 Thessalonians 3:12

REFLECTION:

I love the Psalm 92 passage above, because I can immediately think of people I know who show me the beautiful truth of those words.

I think of Juanita Ruh, Bill and Gert Roots, Dorothy Bein, Elmer and Betty Eggert, Ellen and Myron Patt..(and this isn't an exhaustive list, of course...but just the first few names that come to mind!)

I think of the ways these and others definitely feel ROOTED in the narratives of the Scripture. They understand from the Exodus that God is about freeing people from slavery to anything that holds them bound. They understand from the resurrection that forgiveness releases people to be who they have been created to be, so they don't hold grudges easily. They understand from the early church that the Spirit blows where it will, and most of the life of a Christian is just trying to "catch up" to and participate in what God's already doing in the world.

These individuals, and so many others, are "planted in the house of the Lord." They flourish, even when our age-ist culture says they are 'too old" to be worth anything. They bear fruit. They ARE fresh and flourishing. They enliven, sustain, and provide for those of us who are younger than they. I am so deeply grateful for their history, certainly...but I am also deeply grateful for who they are right now, and who we are as a church because of them.

Today, may it be all our prayer that whatever limitations we face...be they physical, emotional, situational, financial...whatever...may our prayer be that God help us stay planted; help us flourish; help us bear fruit for others; help us be fresh and flourishing. That's my goal for today...but I'll only pull it off with God's help.

PRAYER:

God of comfort, may we seek to abound in your love and develop an attitude and an ability to recognize what is most important in our life: our relationship with you. May we follow your calling to become better disciples and learn to love all. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.*

*Prayer taken from the Moravian Daily Texts