Blessed is the man who does not walk  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. (Psalm 1, 1 – 3)

Dear readers,

when I was a child, I often dreamed of a “tree house”. However: It remained a dream! We simply didn´t have a garden. And of course we consequently didn't have a tree either. Trees still fascinate me until today. The biggest trees I ever spotted were in California, when I stood in front of the massive Redwoods.

God must love trees. The story of creation begins with trees: Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. (Gen. 1, 11) Paradise was a garden with trees.

The last chapter of the Bible is again filled with talk about trees. In God's new world glorious trees are growing again (Revelation 22:1 + 2): Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of both, God and the Lamb down the middle of the main street through the city. On both banks of the river, trees are growing: the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.

It is a dreamlike future, which is described here. It should awaken in us a longing for communion with God. It should awaken in us the longing for fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. It should awaken in us the longing for the streams of blessings that emanate from God and want to flow into our lives.

The one who has joy in God and yearns for God's Word is like a tree in God's flow of blessings. In his life the fruit of the Holy Spirit grows (Letter to the Galatians, 5, 22+23): And the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

These fruits of faith carry seeds within them. They make sure that these fruits multiply. I wish you that the fruit of the Holy Spirit will also grow in your life. To both, for God´s joy and for the blessing of other people, at the same time. These spiritual seeds should be able to rise and grow in the lives of others. So that other people also experience the happiness of being planted like a tree in the garden of faith in Jesus Christ.

God bless you, and please, remain firmly rooted in the faith in Jesus Christ. With you!