It is my testimony – the story of my faith – that the words from Psalm 92:13 have proven themselves true time and again:
“Planted in the House of the Lord they will flourish.”
I’ve read many scholarly, contemporary and well, Huff Post opinion type articles espousing why this doesn’t mean being rooted in a church. But for me, using all my skills of scripture reading, throwing in some Gordon Fee application, a first class theology degree and 25 years on a journey towards Jesus, it remains my belief that these words ring true with my own personal experience.
In other words, disagree if you want, but this is my testimony. Sorry to sound cheeky. If this is helpful, brilliant. If not, I’m okay with that too.
Over the last few years a simplified statement for me and my family, could simply be, ‘our faith has been tested.’ Make no mistake, we never and have not to this day ever walked away from our love of Jesus, our Father in Heaven, our need of the Holy Spirit or our belief in The Church being not just a good idea, but absolutely God’s ingenious plan for his people to thrive and His world to bloom.
So when I say ‘tested’ what I mean is that circumstances – every known circumstance – has caused us to need faith. And therefore, at times, the depth and authenticity of both or faith and who our faith is in, has well and truly been tested.
And yet the following words, echoing in my heart after another such ‘test’ remain more clear, more true, more anchoring, more steadfast, more strength giving than ever before.
Jeremiah 17:8
(ESV)
“He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Here’s what I’ve learned over the years:
1. a plant / tree doesn’t choose where it is planted.
Do not misunderstand me. I will never be the person praying over which Pot Noodle to eat. I do, however, believe God most certainly has a part to play in where it is you will grow and find life.
The difficulty with this is that it’s often used as an excuse to chop and change where we want to be planted. ‘God told me to’ may have been the death knell for George W Bush but it remains the number one reason why Spirit Filled Christians up root and go elsewhere.
I want to say this: God can and does speak to us. I believe that entirely. Does he change his mind? Yes and no.
Yes, because He is sovereign and can speak into our lives any time he wants. Our family were once part of a great church in London, and after a period of prayer, counsel from other godly people and undoubtably what we believe was a God call, we left to plant a church elsewhere.
He unmistakably led us to where we were. He was intrinsic to us moving on.
It would be entirely correct to say we decided to leave. We did.
It would also be entirely correct to say we felt God lead us.
It would also be true to say we did nothing contrary to scripture.
Is was in line with OUR understanding of the Bible to:
Discuss any issues we have with leadership
To have a desire to seek leadership
To missionally plant a new church
To see God for his direction
To seek the counsel of godly wisdom
To be ‘sent out’ not simply leave
To remain in relationship with where we came from
I have, as a pastor, encouraged people at times to perhaps find another church. Not because I don’t love them but because they simply can’t ‘live with’ the way we do what we do. And I want people to grow.
I will never, however, be able to give my blessing to the persistent up-rooting of from one place to the next.
Why? Because the word talks about being rooted.
About having roots so deep they reach a healthy, nourishing river. About being unshakable not one who bends when the weather changes. The word is,
If nothing else, IMHO, a call the faithfulness and consistency.
In summary. Ask God to help you find a suitable environment for where to be planted. There maybe times when it’s right to move (if the church is doing anything illegal, immoral or unbiblical), but don’t use Him as an excuse to chop and change based on a personal preference or an unresolved grievance when then word time and again using the metaphor of being planted, being established, being rooted.
Trust me. You will flourish when you decided that being planted is the priority not the flourishing.
2- a plant / tree can’t water itself.
Okay so nature teaches us that the environment and the elements can influence the direction a plant grows in. It can bend to light, stoop in darkness, sprawl in search of a water source, pollinate where part of its self is transported…
But it cannot water itself.
It is entirely at the mercy of nature or the human nurturing it.
I found this to be a true analogy for myself.
I can choose (as discussed) where I will be planted but I can’t water myself. Water comes from the heavens or from those tending me and encouraging my life, health and growth.
I say this because right now my family is facing challenges. Huge challenges. I’m terrified, if truth be told.
And so while I can decide to remain where I am (in what we believe to be an incredibly fertile, healthy, environment, near to water, full of life to pollinate and spur growth) I am also reliant on others seeing a need in me to be watered.
An old chorus from my youth days, based on scripture, went like this:
‘Jesus, Holy and anointed one… Jesus.
Your name is like honey on my lips, your spirit like water to my soul, your word is a lamp unto my feet. Jesus I love you. I love you. ‘
This last weekend a situation happened and in a minute my life felt parched. It was a ‘deep cries out to deep’ kinda instance and I can tell you – my own testimony – is that the Holy Spirit was indeed water to my soul. I couldn’t summon the words to pray but the spirit interceded on my behalf (Romans 8:26).
So in this instance I called into myself water… I knew what to do.
But it wouldn’t have been in there for it to then pour out had I not been watered and looked after, tended and pruned over the years.
It’s easy to think we don’t need certain things. And perhaps we don’t… For a time. But if life has taught me anything it’s that our reserves do run out. When they do we need to be in a place where they can be topped up.
I know for me, I will for ever be grateful to the place where I am planted and for the life of a tree, planted in orchard. Collectively bearing fruit, finding purpose in community, becoming shade for younger saplings, being the strong trunk for the weary to lean on and the energetic and tenacious to climb on and stand upon so they can see further and grow higher.
I’m thankful for the fruit of my life and for the fruit I had fall into my life from others planted along side me.
I’m thankful for gardeners, heavenly and rooted on earth, who water when needed.
Who see me parched and visit me with food and water, spiritual and earthly.
Who do the hard work of pruning, even when it hurts me and causes splinters for them.
Who know they are more beautiful when the community flourishes.
Today I’ve written this because I do not want my confession to be one of fear, uncertainty or lack.
The enemy is defeated by what Jesus did and by the word of my testimony.
(I’m not saying ‘the enemy’ caused any of our issues… That’s another theological mine field for another day or Bible College common room. I know, for me, I am my own worst enemy… )
So this is my testimony:
Planted in the House I will flourish.
I won’t fear the heat because I’m planted amongst shade and beside water. I won’t fear drought because my roots go deep, into His word and into community: I retain what I need to see my through. I will continue to bear fruit. My season will not determine what God will do in us and through us.
Jesus remains Lord of my life.
My testimony remains true.
It’s all good 