Plant and Grow! / Maddy McDade

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“But 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.”

I do not know about you, but I would like to be this tree right about now. With the uncertainty we face everyday during this time, it would be nice to have the security of being rooted, strong, and immovable. Luckily, the Lord tells us that we can be like this tree! To be like this tree we need to:

Not Fear

I have recently heard that the phrase “do not fear” appears in the Bible 365 times. I am certain that this was not coincidental, because that’s just how cool God is. There is never a day in which you should be fearful. We can have confidence in God’s sovereignty and provision over our lives.

Not Worry

The tree in these verses does not worry about the drought. It does not worry about the times that it may have to go without because it knows that the stream will provide water and nutrients. The key here is that the tree is near the stream. We need to be near God and His Word in order to receive the peace and guidance it provides. 

Bear Fruit

Even in times of uncertainty, this tree bears fruit. It never stops doing what it is meant to do. When the future seems confusing and you are not sure what your next step is, you can know that you are to bear fruit of the spirit. As Christ-believers, we are meant to bear fruit of the spirit and that is something we should never stop doing.

So how do we become like this tree?

We trust in the Lord and plant ourselves in His presence and His word.