Tumbleweeds

 

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. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1 ESV).

 

In desert and semi-desert areas, like much of West Texas, there are bushy plants called tumbleweeds. After a season of growth and meager rainfall, the plant dries out, breaks free of its root, and rolls across the open land, blown by winds and scattering seed as it goes. They can be quite large and often dangerous to cars as they are blown across the roads at surprising speed. They are also a great illustration of the contrast shown between a believer and a scoffer in our reading today.

 

I have heard the stories of many people who have faced significant challenges in their lives. It may be the death of a loved one, a wrong never recognized or justified, or the traumatic experiences in life. Some come to a point of placing negative blame on God with no hope of the good He brings through every experience. They cut themselves off from anything that has to do with their Christian roots. They became like tumbleweeds, committed to no moral principles, or to constantly shifting principles, and they scatter destructive seeds of skepticism and radicalism wherever they blow.

 

It is a tragic decision to refuse to believe the promise of God to make all things work together for our good (cf. Romans 8:28). Those who trust in the Lord and delight in his law are like trees planted by streams that don’t run dry. Their leaves stay green, and they bear fruits of righteousness. They have deep roots that sustain them in times of drought, and they are not blown here and there, as scoffers are.

 

Whatever your doubts are, no matter what the root of those doubts may have been, recognize the truth of this psalm today. The contrast is so vivid we cannot fail to recognize the peril of doubt. God is good for His word. He has proven it in the greatest fulfillment of any promise ever made. After Adam and Eve sinned, God said He would make it right in His Son. Over and over again throughout the Scripture He promised to deliver His chosen people. That was forever proven in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Place your faith and trust in Him.