Where are your roots?
Jeremiah gives us another glimpse into his heart as he struggles between the love he has for his people and the hostility they have shown toward him. Their rejection has created bitterness in him, and we can see the tension. Yet, Jeremiah turns to the Lord for protection and declares his trust in who God is.
Then we hear these familiar words: ""Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8
This picture is powerful. A tree planted by the waters does not depend on the weather being favorable. When the heat comes and the drought arrives, its roots remain connected to its source.
This reminds us of Psalm 1, where the righteous person is described as "a tree planted by the rivers of water." Hundreds of years thus, the Psalmist expressed the same truth: the one who delights in the Lord and trusts in Him is firmly rooted in God.
The circumstances around us may change. Seasons change. Difficulties come. Sometimes life feels like a drought. But the answer is not found in trying to control our circumstances; it is found in being rooted in the Lord.
What is your hope or Who is your hope rooted in?
Jesus gave us a similar picture when He spoke of two houses: one built on the shifting sand and the other built on the rock. When the storm came, the difference was not whether the storm came; it was the foundation upon which the house had been built.
Take a moment and examine your heart today. What are you drawing your strength, security, and hope from?
When our lives are rooted in the unchanging, all-powerful Lord, we can remain steadfast even when the circumstances around us are not. Our peace comes from knowing the One who remains faithful in every season.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.