August 19 | Jeremiah 17: 5-13

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DAILY READING

Jeremiah 17: 5-13

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REFLECTION

God's Green Thumb

 By Jenny Raber

I am a terrible gardener. But even I know, during the hot summer, my hanging flower baskets struggle if not watered daily. Yet I am amazed, when neglected for a day or two, how quickly the plants respond to a little fresh water. Within hours, their stems straighten, their flowers open, and they look...joyful. And I vow to do better.

In Jeremiah 17, the prophet conveys a serious message about God’s righteous judgment to the people of Judah. God’s chosen relied on other gods for strength and guidance. As a result, they would face severe judgment. Jeremiah reveals God’s promise of hope to restore their hearts back to Him.

Jeremiah depicts two images of trust. First, he reveals what life looks like when we trust in man, seeking self-glorification:

“‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands...’” (v. 5-6)

Like my neglected flowers, when we trust in anything but God, we become weak and vulnerable to circumstances and conditions around us. Without full dependence on Him, we will succumb to heat, drought—the hardships of life.

In contrast, when we trust fully in God, seeking Him with sincere desire to move toward a fruitful, godly life, then we are 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.’” (v. 7-8)

When I provide daily nourishment for my flowers and strip away the dead leaves, they flourish—even in the heat of summer. Our vital daily nourishment begins with obedience to God. We trust, love, worship, and serve Him to develop well-established roots to withstand all the difficult, challenging circumstances we face.

How do we change from “bushes in wastelands” to “trees planted by water?” Easy, right? Jeremiah warns us to be cautious of the inclinations and desires of the heart that mislead us:

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (v. 9)

Jeremiah witnessed the people of Judah led astray by their human hearts. We often fail to understand that our heart’s desires and feelings rarely align with the truth of what we actually need.

What do we need? I downloaded a plant app. I use my phone’s camera to scan a picture of my struggling, unhealthy plants. It quickly formulates a diagnosis and a plan to restore it back to health. God does the same thing! He scans our hearts and minds, provides a diagnosis and a plan to help us surrender our selfish desires. (v. 10) Through God, our withered hearts will be healed and restored.

What is the plan? We delight and meditate, chew and digest the Word of God all day long. (Ps 1: 2) We put our trust in what God says about us over what we think or feel about ourselves (Guzik). We believe in the absolute truth of the Gospel—trusting fully in the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ, who pours fresh nourishing springs of living water over us and through us. (John 7:38)

The difference between the bush and the tree is the source of nourishment. What is nourishing your heart--where is your trust? My poor flowers, dependent on me, are at the whim of my shortcomings. Laziness, absence, and ignorance keep me from properly caring for my plants. How awesome that we have a gracious, holy and faithful Gardener! We can expect Him to refresh and nourish us daily. As we stay rooted in the Living Water, we bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5: 22-23).  Our words will be sweet and delicious; our hearts, marked by God's loving thumbprint, our flowers will open for all to witness His lovely handiwork in us.

PRAYER

Gracious God, I want to be a tree that does not fear when heat comes. When I put my trust in You, I know You will strengthen my roots. Encourage me to come with expectation to Your Word to receive its life-giving nourishment daily. Grant me discernment to know when my heart is being led astray. "Heal me Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." (Jer 17: 14-15) In Your Holy Name, Amen!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JENNY RABER

I am so grateful for the loving and welcoming community at UALC. My husband and I, along with our three (now adult) children began attending Lytham Road services around 2009. And before that, well, I’ve just loved the Bible for about as long as I can remember. I am so thrilled to be a part of the Daily Devotional Writing Team.