“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).
Jeremiah is not a book that many of us might go to for encouragement, being known more for his prophecies of forthcoming destruction and judgement than his life-giving, hopeful imagery. However, here he prophesies in imagery familiar to anyone who knows Psalms 1 or 92, or John 15. The motif of the faithful being like a tree is one that recurs throughout Scripture, and is worth consideration.
Are my roots deep? Am I searching out the God-given water that exists in the soil of daily life? In difficult times, is my focus on the heat and the drought or the faithful sustenance of the Lord? The promise given throughout the Scriptures is that the rooted, faithful follower of the Lord will be fruitful despite and within any threatening circumstances.
This year, may your roots go deep to sustain you whatever may come, and may your fruitfulness glorify God and sustain many.
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Müllers Prayer Team