People who don't want to wait 4 decades for a globe Norway maple to grow in their front yard can buy a 30-foot specimen from a New York nursery for $42,000. A 50-foot European beech is a "bargain" for only $20,000. In spite of the prices, the country's leading nurseries report soaring sales of mature trees.

As one customer put it: "I can't wait for a banana to ripen. I only buy them bright yellow. There's no patience for watching a tree grow."

We humans are always in a hurry, looking for shortcuts to skirt the process and grasp the product. And sometimes we expect instant maturity in our Christian walk and growth in faith. What a contrast to the enormous leisure of God in His dealings with us!

The psalmist affirmed God's promise that the person who delights in His Word will "be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season" (Ps. 1:2-3). A growing Christian, whether a new believer or a seasoned saint, is like a healthy tree--planted, nourished, and fruitful.

If our roots are in God's Word and our hearts are drawing sustenance from Him, we will flourish. And growth toward maturity brings joy to the God of patience.  — David C. McCasland