When the Streams Are Hidden

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“Blessed is the one who does not walk
in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree
planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.”

Psalm 1:1-3 English Standard Version

These trees are in rebellion against the rock. They did not choose to be planted there. I have to wonder how the seeds even made it up there. Maybe the wind, maybe a bird. Was it just by chance? Whatever brought them to this place, they seem to stand in stark contrast to the words of Psalm 1 in that they are not planted by streams of water, yet they seem to be doing OK. You might even say they are prospering.

Often my life feels like these trees might. There is precious little water, little that seems to give sustenance or life. I am not in rebellion against God but still life is just plain hard. It certainly does not feel like He is giving me what I need. It is not the easy and peaceful life depicted in Psalm 1. Maybe the Psalm doesn’t tell the whole story of life here though. Maybe life carries tons of struggles with it (we see these more clearly in other Psalms). Maybe it won’t always feel like we are planted by streams of provision. And I think that sometimes the streams are hidden from my view.

Whatever life feels like, God always seems to remind me where my life comes from. He reminds me that the trouble isn’t that He doesn’t provide what I need, but that I don’t recognize His provision because I don’t even know what I need. Since He does know me, I know I can trust in His provision. He is the stream.

Copyright David Brukiewa