Pure Glory

by Hazel Straub

The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful];
They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable].
Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age;
They will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment.] (Psalm 92:12-14 AMP)

The date palm trees of ancient Israel symbolize the righteous. They were medicine, food, pressed into date honey, fermented into wine, its branches used as roofs for shelters, ropes, brooms, woven mats and its trunk for construction timber. The palms grew in a hot climate, next to oasis, in deserts and in fertile areas. They provided shade. The date palms of Israel were famous and stamped on coins and decorated Solomon’s temple.

The palms take years to mature and at first grow very slowly, before a growth surge. So don’t despair, if it seems to take a long time to reach maturity. They have a complex root system that anchors the tree that can get to 120 feet (36.58 meters) tall and survive high winds. The righteous, anchored in Jesus, will flourish, through the storms.  The trees grow straight and tall, like the righteous and can live 100 years. The date palms produces sweet fruit that sustains life and is tasty. So will we, the righteous, produce good fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, even in old age.

Thrive, useful, upright, majestic, stable, with abundant life, as a date palm tree, glorifying God!

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