Within the broader context of Jeremiah's warning to Judah, Jeremiah 17:7-8 offer a beautiful representation of the gift, blessing, and purpose Christ brings to the lives of those rooted in Him. The prophet's imagery of a tree planted by streams of water brings forth powerfully clarity to the blessed life of those who trust in Him.
To be blessed is to trust obediently in the Lord, even in the unexpected troubled and difficult moments of life. This trust isn't dependent or outcomes or circumstances, but rather on our dependency on Jesus. To be continually blessed one must be continually trusting even “when the heat comes”.
As Christians, Christ is the foundation of who we are because of who He is. The growth and depth of our lives rooted in Him, is the why and how of our lives bearing fruit. Our fruitfulness in not found in our own personal strengths or circumstances but in Christ alone.
The heat will come and so will the drought. There will be seasons when the challenges of life seem far too overwhelming and painful to bear. But those who are planted by the water flourish and thrive for the sole purpose of bearing fruit for the honor and glory of God.
To be blessed is to trust in Christ and bear fruit for Him in times of ease and times of struggle.
Joyfully HIS,
Jennifer N. Pearson