A Tree Planted by a Stream

Scripture: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 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.” – Jeremiah 17:7,8

Observation/Application:
We talked yesterday about God being our vine, the source of all that we need. Today’s verse provides another great visual to understanding what it is like when God is our source, the giver of life. The Bible says that for those who trust in the Lord, “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.” – (Jer. 17:8) What an amazing picture!

When we trust in the Lord, and the heat comes, we need not fear, for God will keep us refreshed. When the drought comes, and everyone else is withering away, we have plenty of supply. When others do not bear fruit, we continue to bear fruit. With God as our source, we can be like that tree planted by the stream, fully nourished and full of life!

I think this is a great reminder for when we feel the heat of this world. It is a great reminder for us to stay planted by the stream, knowing that God is with us. It is wise for us to not uproot and go away from the stream, because once our roots are disturbed we are likely to suffer severely and die.

We recently purchased a lot and are in the process of building a home. But when we bought the lot it was packed full of trees. We had the excavation company come in and clear out the area around the house. The neighbor came over and we were admiring how skilled the person was on the heavy equipment, when my neighbor suggested that we take down a tree that the guy who was excavating had left. I asked him why, and he said that he thought the roots were likely too disturbed. He showed me a bunch of trees on his lot that had died over a few years because their roots had been disturbed in a similar manner. In the same way our bodies rely heavily on being properly supplied. This is a great reminder to not mess with our roots, but to stay planted near the stream and well supplied all the days of our life.

When I am tempted, when I feel weak, when I don’t know what I should do, I can remember the picture of this tree planted by the stream and full of life. I can also remember this tree with disturbed roots, with almost no leaves to speak of, withered, hardened, brown, and broken. While that uprooted tree was still standing and alive technically, it was far from the life and fullness of the trees around it. This is a great reminder of the fragile state of our human form. I want a life full of goodness, with strong roots that withstand the storms, standing tall among the other trees in the forest, bearing fruit even when it is dry, all made possible though the ample supply that is available through God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word this morning. Help us to remember this picture of this dead tree so that we do not uproot ourselves, and instead keep ourselves planted by your stream. Help us to remain steadfast, never leaving the stream of goodness and life. Build us up and make us strong to withstand the storms that we might face. Help us to stay green and bear much fruit. Let all who see our trees know that You are the source of our strength, our fruit, and our life. We give all honor and glory to you, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Image courtesy of: Albuzzzzzz

Photo By Albuzzzzzz

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