Psalm 92:12-13 

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,

   they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;

 planted in the house of the Lord,

  they will flourish in the courts of our God.

For any plant to grow there are a few key things it needs. Good soil, to gather all those juicy nutrients, water to help with growth and sunlight to help the plant with photosynthesis (making food – thanks GCSE bio!). 

I love plants, but I’m not so good at keeping them alive, especially if they’re in a pot on a windowsill. While I have good intentions at the start,  keeping harold the houseplant alive nearly always ends in disaster I will eventually forget to water him and he’ll begin to wilt and die. My only success with a plant was in uni when I had this spider plant that miraculously refused to die despite my shocking lack of care. To truly flourish, plants need a balance of sunlight, water and good soil to grow up strong, healthy and ultimately produce a flower or fruit. 

You are just like a plant. You may not be green, have a love of eating soil or particularly enjoy standing in a pot all day but you require certain things to help you flourish. 

Your living water is Jesus! Keeping you alive, helping you to grow and covering you in amazing Grace! Soak up the goodness!

The sunlight is the light of his living word, guiding you through life, showing you the love of Jesus and how to share it with others!

And your soil, is the place you can be fed, get all those lovely nutrients, and the guidance and encouragement you need to keep on keeping on. The soil is the place you’re planted – the body of the church.

To flourish we need to get stuck into the word, talk to God and make sure we’re planted in a place of love and encouragement so we can grow healthily, get to know God and share his loving heart with others.

It’s then we can bear fruit.