It's Good To Be Green

Are you an olive tree in the house of the Lord?

My guess is I'm the first person today to ask you that question.

Come to think of it....maybe the first person to ever ask you that question.

Check out Psalm 52:8 in the New King James Version:

".... I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever."

The Amplified Bible brings out a little more of the meaning of the original Hebrew:

"...I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in and confidently rely on the loving-kindness and the mercy of God forever and ever. "

Here's an interesting fact:

Olive trees are alluded to many times in the Bible, often as an emblem of peace & prosperity.—New Unger's Bible Dictionary

The verse talks about a green olive tree.

• Green means still growing
• Green mean still producing fruit

Why am I like this green olive tree?

Because that's the kind of "tree" I am?

Nope.

It's all because I'm trusting in and relying on God's mercy.

And His love too.

Not on my own performance.

Or even my opinion of my own performance.

Jesus made it possible for me to be planted there.

It's all grace.

Every day.

I need to abide in Him:

John 15:5 (ESV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Fruit is the evidence that God is using us.

In big and small ways.

Mysterious ways.

Imperfect branches that we are.

In the house of the Lord.

What a place to be:

Psalm 84:10 (ESV) "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere."

No room for pride.

If we're green we're still growing.

If we think we're already ripe, we start to rot.

Jesus the master carpenter is also the master gardener.

He builds us up.

He plants us deep.

Is there any better way to live, really?

Psalms 1:1-3 (ESV) "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."