LIGHT FOR THE FLOURISHING LIFE (1)

“The righteous shall FLOURISH like the palm tree, He shall GROW like a cedar in Lebanon” – Psalm 92:12

The Word of God is full of LIGHT for the FLOURISHING LIFE: “The righteous shall FLOURISH like the palm tree, He shall GROW like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psa.92:12). The Believer in Christ is ordained by Redemption to enjoy a Flourishing Life. To Flourish means to: do well; thrive, prosper, bloom, blossom, and bring forth fruits; bubble with life, energy, strength, and vitality; live life with God's full, rich, and abundant supplies; increase in health, wealth, and well-being; enter into and enjoy a state of prosperity and progress; grow exuberantly and luxuriantly, in line with God’s Will; and grow and develop in a healthy and vigorous way especially as a result of a particularly congenial environment.

Righteousness is however the platform for Flourishing: “The righteous shall flourish...” (v.12a). God has ordained the righteous to flourish and not be famished; to blossom and not be barren; and to bloom rather than reverse into gloom. To be righteous is to have a right standing with God by justification at the new birth, based on Christ's completed work of Grace: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). In addition, to be righteous is: to choose to do what is right; things that align with God’s Will and Ways – “TO DO righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Pro.21:3). We can choose Righteousness as our daily Standard of Living. Righteousness implies Rightness, which means to be in alignment with God’s Standards.

God’s Will for the righteous is to flourish like the Palm Tree, a tree with great practical value and scriptural significance, and known for its: variety of species, functions, and multidimensional uses; depth and stability; strength to withstand formidable forces; surviving and thriving in adverse conditions such as the desert; being evergreen with fresh life; being unique, distinctive, and royal; growing very tall, majestic and beautiful; growing sweeter with age; and being ageless – with long, healthy life. To flourish like the palm tree is to live long, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful life; to grow, flourish, and bear fruit anywhere – in adverse and diverse conditions – and all through life’s duration!

God’s Will for the righteous is to flourish like a Cedar in Lebanon, which was particularly large, stately, and of unique quality. Their strong, beautiful wood was used to build great, stately buildings, like temples and palaces. Other peculiarities of the cedar illustrate the uniqueness of the Righteous in Christ, namely: Cedars are large, evergreen trees, which live very long and grow sturdy, solid, strong, immovable, and tall. The older they get, the better they become! Its wood is durable and highly resistant to disease, with a very pleasant smell, which comes from natural oils in the wood that are toxic to insects and fungus. To grow like a cedar is to be majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible!