The desert or the stream - Jeremiah 17:5-8

Having recently shared a post about saplings, I thought another related post regarding trees would be fitting. =) Enjoy!

“This is what the LORD says, ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in the salt land where no one lives. 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 17:5-8 NIV84

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.”

Ouch!

These words pierced my heart like an arrow! If I’m really honest with myself (which I don’t want to be), these words paint an all-too-accurate portrait of where my heart often is: in the parched places of the desert. Such a realization also led me to the painful truth that what has led me there is a wayward heart… a heart that has not been fully trusting in the LORD and has not put complete confidence in Him.

I’ve partially trusted Him. But, I also tend to place a healthy portion of my trust and confidence in flesh: my strength, my abilities, my understanding, my experience, my knowledge, my time management, my systems, my plans, my husband/friend/expert's advice, experience, knowledge, understanding… you get the picture.

In God’s grace and mercy, He gives us many blessings that include talents, abilities, knowledge, experience, etc. I'm not neglecting the gift and blessing those can be, rather warning about what happens when we trust and rely on the blessing over the Blessor! When we do this - trust in the blessings over the Blessor - we find ourselves on a slippery slope that lands us in the middle of the “parched places of the desert.” I can assure you, after visiting this place on too many occasions, the terrain of such a place is exactly as God describes it: a wasteland, parched, and lonely.

But… (Oh the beauty of this passage! There’s a “but!”)

“But, blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” 

Quite a different picture is painted of a person who puts their full trust and confidence in the Lord! Such a person “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.”

This... this picture sounds so inviting. This is where I want to be.

The scene painted by these words reminds me of a view I saw daily while living in Colorado. My brother and I lived in a house perched high atop a hill overlooking the Gunnison Valley. Looking down into the valley, the river's location was quite obvious - just find the ever-so-conspicuous double-line of trees meandering along the valley floor. It was hard to miss. Because these trees’ roots were “sent out by the stream,” the trees never lacked water, and could, therefore, grow and flourish despite the dreadful winters that plague the valley.

These Colorado trees are like the tree described in Jeremiah 17:8. Despite the surrounding conditions, the trees survived, and not only that, they thrived! Such is a person who puts his/her trust and confidence in the Lord. Despite the surrounding conditions of life, your heart and spirit, your faith will survive, and not only survive, but thrive. However, keep in mind that much like trees we go through seasons, so "thriving" may look barren and bleak at times. Please don't lose heart if you are in such a season! It is just that, a season..

Many trees shed their coat of leaves standing barren in the winter season. Even still, a healthy tree, stripped though it may be, is gathering strength, soaking up that water, garnering nourishment as the winter prepares it to be bigger and stronger come spring. Each year a ring of growth marks the survival of another winter. (What might your "rings" be?)

Regardless of your season of life, it's worth noting how effortlessly we slide into "trusting in man" and depending on oneself (or others), and not the Lord, for strength! We don't typically fall into the desert; we slide into it. Satan fights a fierce battle making it ever so easy, ever so enticing, ever so alluring, ever so simple to do one inch at a time. Hence why Christ's followers are given the full armor of God: life in Christ is nothing short of a battle; we need nothing short of armor!

Be mindful that Satan will do whatever he can to keep or place your trust in man, or your own strength, because he knows that if he does this successfully, he will keep you from sending out your roots by the streams of living water found in Christ. As a result, expect that in big and small ways Satan will always be tempting you to slide down into this pit, furthering this pattern, confirming the lie that God and His ways can't be trusted.

Therefore, “put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11) “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Know that in doing so, you will be blessed and built up, which will make you much like the trees that outlined the Gunnison River's path: thriving despite the season. Yes, your confidence in the Lord will be ever so conspicuous to a watching and wondering world.

Friend, consider your heart today. Where are the roots of your heart being sent out? Are you sending your roots to the broken cisterns of man, or the abundant streams of Living Water found in Christ alone? Each day we get to take steps in either direction. So, which will you choose: the desert or the stream?

Blessed are those who put their trust in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him…


*originally written May 12, 2006; edited April 2015