This week our focus is on placing our confidence in God, which of course means increasing our faith in Him. The Bible is filled with promises to us, offering the great consequences of a life of trusting Him. Listen to Jeremiah 17:7-8 … “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (NLT) Trust … Hope … Confidence. Several times in Scripture the authors used a tree planted by a river as a metaphor for our lives. For the weary traveler, a large, healthy tree beside a river meant protection from the elements and provision for thirst. The very reason the tree could provide shelter is because its roots were not reliant on the changing weather but on the constant flow of the river. Such a great analogy for our lives rooted in God.
Using this metaphor, is there heat or drought that is causing you to struggle, to wither? What’s the source of that issue?
What places in your life would you connect to blessing, as in having green leaves and lasting fruit? What’s the source of that blessing?
How can you get your roots into the river and not be so reliant on the weather? How can you go deeper with God and place less confidence in the things of the world?
Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, thank You for all Your promises. Thank You that You clearly tell us how life can be when we trust You. Help me to grow deep roots in my faith and place more and more of my confidence in You. As above, so below.”