Trusting in the Lord

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8)

I remember when I first moved to Arizona being impressed that any vegetation was green, given the intensity of the heat. With summer temps sometimes as high as 118, I jokingly thought all plants would burst into flame. The plant life in Arizona is hardy because it has found water deep in the hard soil and knows how to manage the infrequent rains and dry heat.

Heat comes into our lives in the form of difficulties as well as blessings. This ‘heat’ will bring things out of us that live in our hearts (Luke 6:44-45). They can be good things like the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-25), but oftentimes things come out of us that don’t honor the Lord or demonstrate that we are trusting in him. What ‘heat’ has come lately into your life? How have you responded well and poorly to it? Jeremiah 17 is a passage that encourages us to be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots to the stream. It encourages us to sink our roots into the water so that when ‘heat’ or ‘drought’ comes we continue to produce fruit. What are you sinking your roots into? What do you do during the ‘heat’ of difficulties or blessings?

Jesus is that living water (John 7:37-38) who gives us abundant life in Him. Sink your roots deep into Him by meditating upon his word and communing with Him in prayer. Turn there and find your fears lessened and your anxiety weakened. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord…”

#church #jeremiah #charlotte