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The secret to being replanted in Eden...
God Bytes, 2/20/06
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
And you chew on His teachings day and night.
You're a tree replanted in Eden,
Bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
Always in blossom.
- Psalm 1:1-3 (The Message)
Every form of life was made to flourish under certain conditions. Some plants need more water than others. Some animals thrive in cold weather, others in hot, etc.
So what are the conditions under which we humans were created to thrive? Obviously we have basic needs that need to be met, the same as plants and animals do. But beyond merely surviving, under what conditions will we realize our unique potential as living creatures made in the image of the Eternal Divine? How do we become more like God - and more liked by God?
We'll explore this further in future God Bytes , but for now let's consider the Psalmist's fundamental advice:
• DON'T put yourself in agreement with negative things - by what you do or say, or by who you hang out with. For example, don't do things that aren't life-giving or honoring to yourself or others. You were not made for these things, and they will affect your vision, your energy, your productivity and your well-being. You may die slowly, but you will die.
• DO put yourself in agreement with things that are full of life and truth. You were made to be like the Good Creator God who made you. What does He have to say about the way we live our lives? If we seek after and focus on these things - "chewing on them day and night" - we will become more what we were created to be: full of light and love, and givers of life to others.
Then we will rediscover our true home: "Eden", which means "pleasure." Our roots will reach deep down into the eternal River of Life from which we were born. We will always be vibrant, and we will never stop bearing fruit. |
