Are You Sappy?

"The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted" (Psalm 104:16)

The trees of the Lord are full of sap, saturated and abundantly supplied with that which is necessary to their growth. There is no want, no lack, of that which is needful to them. The trees of the Lord—the cedars of Lebanon are the loftiest and most magnificent of trees on the face of the earth. The trees being so lofty and large, it seems as if one none of them could be planted except by the Lord God Almighty Himself.

The "trees of the Lord" would remind us of the "trees of righteousness" which are the planting of the Lord, planted in his vineyard. They are full of sap, for what God plants he will water, and those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13).

We have to ask ourselves this question: "Are we full of sap?" This verse indicates that we have been given ample supply to cause us to grow into high and lofty trees, a glory to the earth in which they are planted. Are we growing? Are our roots digging down deeper and deeper as time goes on? Are we bearing fruit? Or, are we not doing anything with our "sap"?

It is a sad thing to meet people who are not doing anything with what God has invested in them. Matthew 21:19 talks of a certain fig tree which was bearing no fruit; Jesus cursed the tree and it withered away. To be a lavish, fruit-bearing tree is important to God, perhaps similar to a return on His investment.

We have been blessed with an abundance of life-giving, life-sustaining, life-changing sap. Be careful to draw on that sap to grow your roots deep into His Word and love for you thus fulfilling His plans for your life.

Father, help me to be like the Cedars of Lebanon . . . firm, sound, unmoveable, unchangeable, having roots that run deep, an abundance of sap to sustain me, and bearing much fruit. Father, take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. As you care for the beast of the field, for the fish in the sea, and for all of creation, Help me, Lord, to use what you have invested in me, bearing much fruit, for Your glory, amen.

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalm 1:3)

© Jan Ross
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