Thoughts on Being an Olive Tree

“But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.  I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.  I will praise you forever, O God, for what You have done.  I will trust in Your good name in the presence of your faithful people.” 
Psalm 52:8-9

I picture in my mind David, pursued by Saul, betrayed by Doeg the Edomite, studying his bleak surroundings in the dry, stony hills of the desert of Judah when suddenly he spots an olive tree!  This may or may not have happened, but the point is that David knows olive trees, and he concludes his psalm with beautiful and encouraging truth.  He is like an olive tree!

Why an olive tree?  What is so special about it?  Here are some amazing facts:

• An olive tree depends on its strong root system for survival and growth.  David’s strong, deep root system was in God--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Over and over God had proven himself faithful to David, and David had developed a complete trust in His Father.
• Olive trees grow in what we would consider the worst of conditions:  dry, arid land; rocky soil; and steep hills on which nothing would seem to grow.
• An olive tree is evergreen!  Yes…when all else is dried up and parched, there stands the olive tree, symbolizing life that goes on in spite of all else.
• Olive trees can live up to one thousand years, all the while producing fruit…in other words, in all the days of their extraordinarily long life.
• As with other fruit trees, olive trees must be carefully pruned to produce a great harvest.

How wonderful to know that we, like David, can be olive trees!

• We can develop strong roots through deep faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  This not only will prevent us from being uprooted during the storms of life, but will enable us to live and even thrive during those times because we have the Spirit of Jesus living within.
• When we thirst for water in dry and arid times and call upon Jesus, He will fill us with His everlasting living water; we can trust and rejoice in His faithful love and care.
• When we remain in Jesus, we become evergreens; our understanding and words of hope, understanding, and wisdom can help brighten the landscape of others who may be suffering through their own dry spells.  Even better, the Holy Spirit living within us may overflow onto them, drawing them to Jesus' life-saving message of truth, grace, and salvation.

• Like an olive tree, when we grow in our faith in Jesus, we will continue producing good fruit and will be able to serve and honor Him all the days of our lives.
• As is the case with olive trees, our God who loves and cares for us above all measure, may need to do some pruning to make us fruitful.  Painful though it might seem at the time, it always is for our benefit and, therefore, for the benefit of others.

Let us be like David, always trusting in God’s unfailing love…remembering His provision throughout our lives…and always praising God forever!  Let us be olive trees, for when we fear the Lord …are respectful  and in awe of Him…we will grow like they do and will be blessed!  “How joyful are those who fear the Lord, all who follow His ways!  You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.  How joyful and prosperous you will be!  Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.  Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.” Psalm 128:1-3
 
Note:  Information on the olive tree taken from https://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/olive.php 
 
VERSES:
 
Hosea 14:6  “Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon.”
 
Psalm 52:8  “ But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;  I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.”

Romans 11:17-20  “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.   But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.   ‘Well,’ you may say, ‘those branches were broken off to make room for me.’   Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.”

PRAYER:

“Father God, make me an olive tree—an evergreen You can use all the days of my life.  May the fruit I grow be the sharing of Your Good News with others—that is my heart’s desire!   And, Father, please continue to daily renew and fill me with Your Holy Spirit so my roots in You will never stagnate, but continue growing through every situation in life—through times that seem barren and through times of rich, fertile soil. In You, Almighty God, I fully place my trust, praising Your holy name; and may I, as David, thrive in Your house forever!



DISCLAIMER:

I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since.  How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?!  These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him.  However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word.  Therein lies the source of all truth!