Blessed is the One

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Scripture: Jerimiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

8 They 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.”

 

Devotion:

           

            Today’s scripture begins with a declaration of blessing. The one blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord. The Hebrew for trust is batach. It means to rely on, or rest in. It should encourage us to be dependent on the Lord for all our needs. These verses show a contrast to the verses just preceding them in which those who do not trust in the Lord are seen as being like a desert shrub attempting to eek out an existence without access to life giving water.

           

            As believers in the Lord, we are to know the life-giving presence of the Lord in every season of life. We can depend on God to supply all our needs so that we never need to live in fear and anxiety. We can be certain of the Lord’s provision for our lives. In the heat of spiritual battle when the enemy surrounds us, and all seems lost, we can know that the Lord will be there to help us. We can flourish even in the most difficult circumstances.

           

            When we feel times of spiritual dryness, we can remain confident in the Lord. We can know that God is there in those times as well. The Lord will help us bear fruit at all times. Those who read this passage in Old Testament times may have wondered what kind of fruit Jerimiah might have meant. We have the witness of the New Testament and know that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. We can judge our lives by this standard to know if we are truly relying on the Lord for our strength.

           

            We can be certain of living a spiritually abundant life by always trusting in the Lord. Letting his praises be always proclaimed from our lips. Fear, anxiety, and worry can be reduced by letting our trust be placed in God. If we can live like a tree by a river, we will no longer need to fear what is happening all around us in the world. We can truly experience the Lord’s provision for our lives. Granted, this is easier said than done sometimes. Let us pray for the Lord to help us to put our full trust in him.

 

Prayer:

           

            Lord lift us up and steady our spirits in this crazy world in which we live. Teach how to trust in you that our lives may be always full of the fruit of the Spirit. Lord, we want to be your people in spirit and in truth. Worshipping without restraint and blessing your Holy Name. May those who do not believe in you see the image of your son upon us and be drawn to you. Amen. 

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