THE HUMBLE TREE!

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NKJV

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. [6] For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. [7] "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

 

When the Lord uses the word "curse" in His speech, we ought to pay attention and take note because that oath may be fatal to us. A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to a person, place, or object. “Curse” refers to such a wish or pronouncement made effective by the Lord.

Every time the Lord uses the word “woe,” it’s in relation to man looking to man, rather than to the Lord for help, as first referenced in Isaiah 31:1: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!” The Lord expects us to be like the tree.

The humble tree ever remains where it’s planted and grows unless someone comes along and cuts it down. This is to say that, as believers in Christ, He expects us, as stated in John 15:1-5, to abide, remain planted in Him. The person who does not abide in Him does not have personal faith in Christ. Suffice to say that the person who is not like the humble tree planted in the Lord is cursed.

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.” What follows in verse 6 is what will eventually happen to such people.

But why?

Trust should be the heart disposition of every believer that leads us to a life of obedience. Obedience, which is God’s love language, in turn makes us trust the Lord more. Man is utterly helpless in helping anyone in times of need and calamity because man’s trust is switchable.

Deuteronomy 27:15-26 outlines all the things that could make a curse be pronounced. As described, the Levites stood in the valley between the two mountains and pronounced the curses or blessings, while the people answered “Amen!” The curses given in these verses have to do with idolatry, disrespect of parents, dishonesty in removing boundary lines, deceiving the blind, taking advantage of the poor and defenceless, various forms of incest, bestiality, secret murder of one’s neighbour, murder of the innocent for a bribe, and disobedience to the law of God. In short, all the things that our society calls “okay and good” today.

But as believers, Psalm 92:12 calls us the palm tree that flourishes in the court of the Lord, the faithful believer who is like the humble tree that abides in God’s presence. Believers who trust in God are likened to the tree planted by the riverbank, which will have abundant resources and be prepared for every vicissitude of life because this river water represents the life-giving force of the Lord.

This is a huge contrast between the two ways of life: those who trust God and depend on Him and those who, no matter what, trust and rely on other people to help them, completely ignoring Psalm 121:1-2. Which way do you subscribe to? To trust in the Lord’s strength and be blessed or to trust in the strength of man and be cursed?

Think of the cactus plant, which stands as a remarkable symbol of resilience and adaptation, thriving in the harshest of environments with God as its source and supply. Beyond its physical attributes, this prickly plant holds a deeper significance within the realm of biblical symbolism, offering profound insights into the spiritual journey of humanity, especially those who trust in the Lord, as seen in Isaiah 35:1-2.

Be a humble tree, planted by the riverbank, and just as the cactus stores water to survive in the desert, believers are called to abide in Christ, the source of living water, to sustain their spiritual lives and keep their roots in God.

PRAYER: Lord, help me be deeply planted in Your word and ways, so that I am continually refreshed and flourish in Jesus' name, amen.

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/womenoflight/episodes/THE-HUMBLE-TREE-e31rm9v

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SHALOM

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