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, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. - Psalm 92:13-15
I received this praise report from a couple who attends our Grace Revolution Church in Dallas, Texas. It's a beautiful example of how we walk in His protection and restoration as we are planted in the house of God. This couple shared with me that their marriage had gone through a very challenging period, and how the church and the pastoral leadership had helped them through that difficult time.
It took us some time to realise that we needed to focus more on Christ rather than on ourselves and on our problems. What ultimately saved our relationship was focusing vertically on our Lord Jesus and not horizontally on each other. We were declaring, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus,” which gave us a sense of how much God loves us and wants us blessed. Knowing that we are the righteousness of God through Christ is what healed our broken marriage.
Being able to rest in all that Jesus has done, and being able to hear and meditate on the Word, has been the best thing for us. He truly is the vine and we are the branches. We now know that in every situation and circumstance, Christ is supplying our every need. He is the vine that will keep us supplied and where we need to be.
Knowing that “if it matters to me, it matters to God” was the last piece of the puzzle. We learned that there is no matter too small or too inconsequential to the Lord. Neither is there anything too big for Him to tackle for us.
Dear reader, can you see how important it is to be planted in a local church? In this couple's case, being planted in a church that preached the truth of the gospel and having the wise counsel of leaders who walked the journey with them saved their marriage.
And can you sense their joy in knowing that the Lord Jesus is their vine who supplies their every need, and to whom nothing is too big or too small for them to bring? Read today's verses from Psalm 92. Bearing fruit in old age speaks of preservation, protection, and long life. God wants you not only to have long life, but to have quality of life and still be strong, healthy, and fruitful in your old age. And the way to have all of that is to be planted in the house of the Lord. Beloved, if you are not regularly attending a local church, I want to encourage you to be planted in one. As you do so may you, your career, your marriage, and your household flourish in every way!
Today's Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the head over the church as well as the vine who supplies every need that I have. Help me to be planted in Your house, and to be surrounded by leaders and like-minded believers who will cause me to bear fruit and flourish in every area of my life. Amen.
Today's Thought
As I am planted in the house of the Lord, quality of life, strength, health, and fruitfulness are mine to walk in.
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Prince, Joseph. The Prayer of Protection Devotional: Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly In Dangerous Times.