Prayer: Father, thank You for a ministry of reconciliation, of comfort and consolation. Thank You for preparing my life and heart for ministry to those who are grieving loss. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reading: Psalm 52 key: vs. 10-11
10 But I—I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God.
I trust in God’s lovingkindness forever and ever.
11 I will praise You forever for what You have done.
I will hope in Your Name, for it is good,
in the presence of Your kedoshim.
Attention: Almost daily, my path crosses with someone in need of comfort and consolation due to loss of a loved one. This past week I have been honored to pray with people who have either recovered or are recovering from serious illness which required hospitalization, or they have lost a loved one. Both sides of the spectrum but either way, victory or set back, we praised Adonai together. Not everyone can do that, only those who know Messiah.
The psalmist today declares he is like an “olive tree.” Why would he compare himself to an olive tree? Well, olive trees are a hearty variety of tree which requires a Mediterranean climate of “moist cool winters and hot dry summers.”
I had never seen an olive tree till I attended Biola University. Olive trees line the sidewalks of the campus. They are a messy tree which sheds its fruit in season staining the walkways. Most trees shed their fruit when it is ripe, not so with the olive tree as the olives are hard, green, and not edible. To be edible, they require a brine process which takes the bitterness out of the olive. Olive trees live to be hundreds of years old, and the fruit has a variety of uses, from anointing oil on hair and skin, fuel for lamps, medicinally mixed with antiseptic wine for healing wounds, used in cosmetics, taken internally can soothe gastric disorders, used for cooking and salad dressings.
Interesting that Jesus was called God’s “anointed One (Ps. 2:2, John 1:41)” and anointing being “symbolic of the Holy Spirit” (Isaiah 61:1, Acts 10:38).
The psalmist was comparing himself to something living and representative of the Messiah and the Holy Spirit. His anointing was spilling over onto those surrounding him and he was giving Adonai praise.
Action: Anoint me with Your Holy Spirit that I may in turn minister healing in a variety of ways.
Yield: I am yielded to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Order my steps Lord!
Engage: I am engaged when I am anointing others with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Relationship: Anointing comes with a daily engaging walk with the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Father, may I minister to You and the people I am in contact with from the abundance and overflow of the anointing You provide. Amen.
Memory Verse: John 7:38
38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’
Music Video: Let the River Flow (worship video w/ lyrics)
Remember, “Abide in Jesus, today!”