Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Old Testament passage from Jeremiah 17 has very strong parallels to the better known text of Psalm 1. The one who trusts the Lord is like a tree with plenty of water. The one who trusts in man “is like a shrub in the desert” (v. 6, ESV). This may be a tough kind of plant. But what’s it good for? Yes, it stops erosion. Yes, some of the desert wildlife can find shelter there. Yes, it can furnish a scanty meal for that wild grazing animal. However, given the choice, we would rather pick out a fruitful tree with plenty of water, giving shelter and food to many.
What’s the difference between the successful man and the unsuccessful one in our passage? One trusts in God. One does not. The man who trusts in himself is bound for trouble. The one who trusts in God has no need for anxiety. There’s our difference. When all is said and done, what’s important in life is trusting the Lord.
This is played out differently for each person in real life. My trust in the Lord may look different from yours. It shouldn’t surprise us when there are some individual and group differences. Yet we always want to come back to a trust in God as revealed in Scripture. That’s the source of our stability, our life, our hope. Trust in the Lord. Soak up His Word. Be nourished with his peace and hope.
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