Roots Running Deep

Thus says the Lord:

Courtesy of Flicker: here

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength,

whose heart turns away from the Lord.

He is like a shrub in the desert,

and shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

in an uninhabited salt land.

Courtesy of Flicker: here

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose trust is the Lord.

 He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

The "heat" has come folks. Have you felt it? {Job loss, house loss, death, disease, discouragement, divorce, rebellion} We're touched by pain everyday, even in our mountaintop seasons. Have you felt the separation. Is it just me?

My question to you and to me today is: "How is our health in the heat"? Are we drying up as the cursed bush in the dessert? Are we basking in the health of our deep, drinking roots? If you are like me, you have tasted of more death than life in this place your in. Sad, but true, folks.You know what I've realized?

It's my fault.

Cursed is the man who trusts in man 

and makes flesh his strength,

whose heart turns away from the Lord( Jeremiah 17:5)

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose trust is the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7).

My trust has been in me, myself, and I. For some ridiculous reason, I've trusted in my fickle flesh to be my strength. My flesh, the flesh that should be crucified daily, is my stronghold? Crazy, right? It's more than crazy- it's death. I'm making light of it here, but it's far from a lighthearted decision.

I've made a decision that I'm going to quit looking to my flesh for strength. I'm tired of wallowing in my circumstances. I don't want to fear when the heat comes, or to be anxious in the year of drought. It takes trust. If I believe He's everything He says He is, than I have to believe He's trustworthy. I do.

Security, strength, and life are found in One source. He's the water source for our poor, dry hearts.

He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought (Jeremiah 17:8).

So, I'm being intentional about where I put my trust. I'm praying that God will give me an awareness of when I'm looking to my strength, instead of His. I know I won't always get it right, but I'm tired of settling for a "just making it" mentality. Roots deeply planted by streams of grace is more my style.

Let's not dry out in overwhelming circumstances- our own or circumstances of those we love.

In His Name,

Jennifer