But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be
like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not
fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of
drought and never fails to bear fruit.
~ Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV
Have you ever been in a place where the grass is dry and yellow, the sun is beating
down, the heat is stifling, trees are withered and sparsely leaved, and it seems that
there's no shade to be found? As you look around, everything seems to be dried up,
withered and wasting away, with no hope in sight. But wait! What's that in the
distance? You jog towards it, wondering if you're seeing things. As you get closer,
you realize it's a tree. Not a tree suffering in this heat and drought, but a green
tree, full of leaves, branches spreading out, providing shade and shelter. And
what's that? You can hear water! A rushing, babbling, laughing, joyful flow of
water!
Finally you reach the tree, and stand beneath it in awe. The shade is a refuge,
sheltering you from the blistering heat of the sun, and the water is refreshing and
cooling, soothing your parched throat and sunburned skin. And on the tree is the
most delicious fruit you've ever tasted!
When we accept Christ as our savior, we become like the tree in this verse, planted
by a stream. Not just any stream, but the stream of living waters found only in
Christ. And as we drink of that water and grow, our roots deepen and we become
solidly anchored in Him, and we bear fruit. Like that tree in the midst of the
drought, we provide shade and shelter to those around us, and they see something
miraculous in a world that's wasting away.
How do we grow and send our roots out into the stream of living water? Through our
daily choices as we read our bible, pray, listen, and choose to follow and obey God.
We must also choose to trust Him in everything, to provide for our needs, to carry us
through...and He will! When we do that, our roots deepen in Him, and we become a
living testimony of His love and grace.
Lord, help us to grow like that tree, to send our roots out into the stream of living
water found only in Christ, and let our lives bear witness to Your love and grace.
Let our fruit be sweet to others, and may our witness draw the lost to You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen!!
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