(By Rev. Kerry S. Doyal, www.GetGraced.org)
Some life-options are harder than others. "Paper or plastic" - not too tough. "Do you Robin (my long suffering wife of almost 20 years), take this man . . . ?" What was she thinking?
If you were asked which would you prefer in life, blessings or curses, how much thought would that require? How about picking between these images to represent your life: a scrubby shrub in the sands of the Sahara, or a verdant tree by a river, bent over with fruit. Would you need much time to roll that around?
In Jeremiah 17:5-8, the LORD set forth two life styles that lead to very different ends: trusting in God or relying in one's self. Read it a time or two and look at the contrasts, promises, warnings and offers of grace.
"This is what the Lord says: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited."
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
Studying these stark options turns them into choices for us. As we hear how one is cursed and one blessed, God asks us: Do you want to be a useless, fruitless scrub bush or a fruitful, well-grounded tree?
The cursed shrubs are guilty of something which we pride ourselves of in America. We work hard to foster and boost this in our children. We send people to counselors when they are weak in this area. Yet, a self-sufficient soul is sick and shall struggle. It is guilty of idolatry of self and abandonment of God.
Few people purposefully turn their hearts from the LORD. But the reality is when we put our saddle on mere humans, we are choosing to dismount a ride of faith in God. No man, Jesus said, can serve two masters. God is rightfully a jealous God. Put your money on man and you can bet against yourself every time.
Why do we often opt to be like hopeless lonely shrubs in the wilderness, tumbleweeds? Forget luscious fruit. Give up any hope of pictures of vital vegetation. Cursed, not blessed. What are we thinking?
Set in sharp relief are the blessed that show trust in the LORD by making Him their hope and confidence. Like the Psalmist, they say, "my help cometh from the Lord." They know if God doesn't pull through, they are sunk. The arm of flesh - their own or other's - will fail them. But God can be, must be, trusted in.
These spiritual evergreens are compared to trees along a river. Talk about green! Droughts? No sweat. These deep-rooted sturdy souls sag with food. The hot winds of life simply prune not whither them.
See if Proverbs 3:5-8 reminds you of Jeremiah 17:5-8: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." So, what'll it be, a beat down bush or a tree? Blessed or cursed? If you want to study this theme & imagery further, check out Psalms 1; 37:1-7; Mark 4:1-20, John 15:1-8.
My Comments: I have relied on myself for so long. What a source of pride and rebellion to essentially tell the Lord that I don’t need Him... I can do it all on my own. I was so wrong. As I am learning to trust in Him and rely on Him, I see His protection, love, and grace magnified in every area of my life.
Some life-options are harder than others. "Paper or plastic" - not too tough. "Do you Robin (my long suffering wife of almost 20 years), take this man . . . ?" What was she thinking?
If you were asked which would you prefer in life, blessings or curses, how much thought would that require? How about picking between these images to represent your life: a scrubby shrub in the sands of the Sahara, or a verdant tree by a river, bent over with fruit. Would you need much time to roll that around?
In Jeremiah 17:5-8, the LORD set forth two life styles that lead to very different ends: trusting in God or relying in one's self. Read it a time or two and look at the contrasts, promises, warnings and offers of grace.
"This is what the Lord says: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited."
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
Studying these stark options turns them into choices for us. As we hear how one is cursed and one blessed, God asks us: Do you want to be a useless, fruitless scrub bush or a fruitful, well-grounded tree?
The cursed shrubs are guilty of something which we pride ourselves of in America. We work hard to foster and boost this in our children. We send people to counselors when they are weak in this area. Yet, a self-sufficient soul is sick and shall struggle. It is guilty of idolatry of self and abandonment of God.
Few people purposefully turn their hearts from the LORD. But the reality is when we put our saddle on mere humans, we are choosing to dismount a ride of faith in God. No man, Jesus said, can serve two masters. God is rightfully a jealous God. Put your money on man and you can bet against yourself every time.
Why do we often opt to be like hopeless lonely shrubs in the wilderness, tumbleweeds? Forget luscious fruit. Give up any hope of pictures of vital vegetation. Cursed, not blessed. What are we thinking?
Set in sharp relief are the blessed that show trust in the LORD by making Him their hope and confidence. Like the Psalmist, they say, "my help cometh from the Lord." They know if God doesn't pull through, they are sunk. The arm of flesh - their own or other's - will fail them. But God can be, must be, trusted in.
These spiritual evergreens are compared to trees along a river. Talk about green! Droughts? No sweat. These deep-rooted sturdy souls sag with food. The hot winds of life simply prune not whither them.
See if Proverbs 3:5-8 reminds you of Jeremiah 17:5-8: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." So, what'll it be, a beat down bush or a tree? Blessed or cursed? If you want to study this theme & imagery further, check out Psalms 1; 37:1-7; Mark 4:1-20, John 15:1-8.
My Comments: I have relied on myself for so long. What a source of pride and rebellion to essentially tell the Lord that I don’t need Him... I can do it all on my own. I was so wrong. As I am learning to trust in Him and rely on Him, I see His protection, love, and grace magnified in every area of my life.
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