A Rock, A River, and A Tree

by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan

This morning, I sat down with my watercolor paints and a blank sheet of paper. Before my brush ever touched the page, the Lord impressed three images upon my heart: a rock, a river, and a tree.

The images arrived without explanation, and I did not receive a sermon, a Bible study, or even a title. I simply sensed that the Lord wanted me to paint. As worship music filled the room, I picked up my brush and began adding color to the page.

Slowly, the landscape emerged.

The river wound its way through the scene. The tree took shape beside the water while the rock settled firmly along the bank. Then, something unexpected happened. A boat appeared in my imagination and found its way onto the paper.

The Lord had given me the rock, the river, and the tree.

The boat came while I lingered in His presence.

By the time I finished painting, I realized I was looking at more than a landscape because I was looking at a picture of discipleship.

Scriptural Focus

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” — Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” — John 7:38 (ESV)

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 3:11 (ESV)

The Christian life is rooted in Christ, sustained by the Spirit, and lived out through faithful discipleship. We are not called to become the source, yet we are called to remain connected to the Source and available for His purposes.

The tree caught my attention first; it stood vibrant and green along the riverbank, full of life and seemingly unaffected by the changing landscape around it. As I painted, I found myself thinking about Psalm 1, where the righteous person is described as “a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” The tree does not struggle to produce life; instead, it remains connected to its source.

The image also reminded me of Paul’s words in Romans 11, where believers are described as branches grafted into God’s family. Ultimately, a branch has no life apart from the tree, but it draws its nourishment, strength, and stability from something larger than itself. The longer I follow Christ, the more I realize that spiritual growth is not the result of striving harder but abiding deeper.

Near the river sat a large rock. Unlike the tree, it showed no signs of growth or movement. It simply remained. Immediately, my thoughts turned to Jesus, the Rock of Ages and the Chief Cornerstone. Throughout Scripture, God is repeatedly described as a rock, a refuge, and a firm foundation for His people.

The world around us changes constantly. Jobs change, seasons change, relationships change, and circumstances change. Yet Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The rock in my painting became a reminder that while everything else may shift, Christ remains steady. My security is not found in favorable circumstances but in the One who never changes.

The river wound its way through the painting, connecting every other element on the page. Without the river, the tree would eventually wither. Without the river, the landscape would lose its vitality. As I painted the flowing water, I found myself thinking about the river that flows from the throne of God in Revelation 22 and the promise Jesus made in John 7:38.

The river represents the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit. Unlike a pond that remains stagnant, a river is always moving. It carries life wherever it goes. Perhaps that is why the Lord has spoken to me so often about letting the water move. The Spirit does not need my assistance to accomplish His purposes because my responsibility is not to create the current but to remain surrendered to the One who sends it.

The Lord initially gave me the imagery of the rock, the river, and the tree. However, the boat came later while I was praying, praising, and painting. As soon as it appeared on the page, I sensed that it belonged there, even though I did not yet understand why.

The boat rests just outside the river. It is not abandoned, damaged, or forgotten. It is simply waiting. As I studied it, I began to think about discipleship. Boats are not the destination, nor are they the source of power. They are vessels designed to carry people from one place to another.

Throughout the Gospels, boats often served as the setting for Jesus’ teaching, miracles, and ministry. They carried disciples who would eventually carry the gospel to the world, and the boat reminded me that discipleship begins long before the journey. Before a boat ever launches, it must be built, prepared, and positioned near the water.

As I sat quietly studying the finished painting, I found myself returning to the boat. The tree was thriving. The rock was standing. The river was flowing. Yet, the boat was resting just outside the water.

The boat was not broken. It was not lost. It was not forgotten. It was simply waiting.

There have been seasons in my life when I wanted to launch before God had finished preparing me. I wanted movement before maturity. I wanted purpose before process, yet throughout Scripture, God often develops His people in hidden places before sending them into visible assignments.

The disciples spent years walking with Jesus before they carried the gospel into the world. David tended sheep before he wore a crown. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness before leading Israel out of Egypt. The boat reminded me that preparation is not wasted time when it occurs in the presence of God.

When I look at the painting now, I no longer see four separate objects. I see one story.

The tree reminds me to remain rooted.

The rock reminds me to remain anchored.

The river reminds me to remain surrendered.

The boat reminds me to remain available.

Perhaps discipleship is not learning how to become the river. Perhaps discipleship is learning how to stay close enough to the water that when the Master says, “Launch,” we are ready to go.

Maybe that was the message hidden in the painting all along.

Challenge

Which image in the painting best describes your current season?

Are you like the tree, learning to remain rooted in Christ? Are you clinging to the Rock during a season of uncertainty? Do you need to surrender to the movement of the River and trust where the Holy Spirit is leading? Or perhaps you are like the boat, resting near the water while God prepares you for a future assignment.

Spend a few minutes this week asking the Lord where He has you in the process. Resist the temptation to rush ahead of Him. If you find yourself in a season of waiting, remember that preparation is never wasted when it takes place in the presence of God. Stay close to the Source, remain available, and trust His timing.

Prayer

Father,

Thank You for the reminders You place in ordinary moments. Thank You for speaking through Your Word, through worship, and even through a simple watercolor painting. Help me remain rooted like the tree, drawing my strength and nourishment from You. Help me stand firm upon the Rock of Ages when circumstances around me seem uncertain. Teach me to trust the flow of Your Spirit and to follow where You lead rather than where my own plans would take me.

Lord, make me a willing vessel. If I am in a season of preparation, help me embrace it with patience and faith. If You are calling me to launch into something new, give me the courage to obey. Above all, keep me close to You, because apart from You I can do nothing. Thank You for being my foundation, my source of life, and my faithful guide.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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