I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah chapter 17 verses 1-8 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point, on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars. Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles beside the spreading trees and on the high hills. My mountain in the land and your wealth and all your treasures I will give away as plunder, together with your high places, because of sin throughout your country. Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have kindled my anger, and it will burn forever.” This is what the LORD says: "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. 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. Amen! May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
As Christians we are to be known by the "fruits" that we bear which is a beautiful metaphor to reflect what we are intrinsically; what we are at our core is what will eventually manifest itself especially in times of stress. I was driving on Friday; my usual Friday errands run. I was on a street with only two lanes and my lane was stopped because a care that was 2 cars ahead of mine was trying to turn left and was waiting for the the traffic in the opposite lane to clear. There was a man two cars behind me who began to beep his horn very vigorously even though he could see that there was no where to go. The traffic began to move at which point I approached the shopping center I wanted to go to. I slowed down to turn right and now the same man was behind me and beeping, waving his hand and had a beet red face. I really didn't understand why it was important for this man to insult my humanity over his frustration with traffic. I remember thinking would I trust this man to teach my children, fix my car, handle my money? His core, his intrinsic values bubbled to the top under the stress of going from point A to point B. I also reflected whether my core values as a Christian were evident to people I interact with and I admit that when I am not stressed it is infinitely easier to move myself out of the way and let the Love of God through Christ shine through. These verses underscore that as Christians we are planted in the love of God. Our roots receive nourishment regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in and as we spread our branches so that others will experience the Love of God through Christ, our roots become that much stronger.
I don't know where you find yourself today but I know that if you have professed a belief in God you truly do not have anything to be concerned with. Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
As Christians we are to be known by the "fruits" that we bear which is a beautiful metaphor to reflect what we are intrinsically; what we are at our core is what will eventually manifest itself especially in times of stress. I was driving on Friday; my usual Friday errands run. I was on a street with only two lanes and my lane was stopped because a care that was 2 cars ahead of mine was trying to turn left and was waiting for the the traffic in the opposite lane to clear. There was a man two cars behind me who began to beep his horn very vigorously even though he could see that there was no where to go. The traffic began to move at which point I approached the shopping center I wanted to go to. I slowed down to turn right and now the same man was behind me and beeping, waving his hand and had a beet red face. I really didn't understand why it was important for this man to insult my humanity over his frustration with traffic. I remember thinking would I trust this man to teach my children, fix my car, handle my money? His core, his intrinsic values bubbled to the top under the stress of going from point A to point B. I also reflected whether my core values as a Christian were evident to people I interact with and I admit that when I am not stressed it is infinitely easier to move myself out of the way and let the Love of God through Christ shine through. These verses underscore that as Christians we are planted in the love of God. Our roots receive nourishment regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in and as we spread our branches so that others will experience the Love of God through Christ, our roots become that much stronger.
I don't know where you find yourself today but I know that if you have professed a belief in God you truly do not have anything to be concerned with. Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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