Planted by Water

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.

Where do you place your trust? When things get tough, when the drought comes, to whom or what do you turn?

Have you planted yourself beside the Source? Or are you waiting for water in the wastelands?

Jeremiah was a prophet during the final years of the kingdom of Judah, in the last days of the 7th century BCE. These verses found in Jeremiah 17 fall in the first section of the book, which can be summarized as an accusation against and a warning for the Israelites. They had broken their covenant with God. They were worshipping idols and taking advantage of the poor, the most vulnerable among them, the orphans, widows, and immigrants. Jeremiah prophesies that their idolatry and social injustice will result in a judgment from God.

The words we read today are hopeful. They speak about showers of blessings that come from trusting God. But it is impossible to fully understand these words without considering the verses just before them. Jeremiah’s emphasis on the blessings, the peace, comfort, and fruit that come from trusting God are in contrast to the curse, the hardness, and the bitterness that come from trusting people over God.

Hear verses 5 and 6:

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; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

Prefer to draw strength from the flesh, from earthly things, and you will be deceived, unable to see true prosperity when it comes—empty rather than full, thirsty rather than quenched, withered rather than fruitful.

Trust God and you will live in spiritual abundance. Trust humanity and you will live in spiritual scarcity.

Yes, when the drought comes, we can still expect showers of blessings—not from above but from our roots. Our thirst will not be satisfied by placing our trust in mere humans or in worldly things. Blessings come when we place our trust in God, when we are planted by water.

Let us pray: Holy and just God, forgive us. As a people, we have turned our backs on you. We have placed our trust in false idols. We have believed the lie that there is not enough, sacrificed the most vulnerable among us to systems of oppression and injustice, and counted on mere humans to save us. Turn our hearts toward you, that we would trust, that we would plant ourselves by the streams of your grace, and bear fruit in your holy name. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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