Day 12: God Gave Roots of Trust
"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord"
Jesus is the source of true trust and blessing
Words: John Robertson Read: 0 - 5 mins Published: 12 December 2024
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.
– Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
The Israelites in Jeremiah’s day trusted their army, the king’s diplomacy, and even their foreign alliances to protect them from the powerful Babylonian empire. Their lips said one thing, but they placed their faith elsewhere. They pretended to trust in God. Their actions showed their faith was in their wealth and military power. God spoke through Jeremiah to warn them that He was not going to bless those who did not trust in Him alone.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.” The Israelites had trusted in the wrong place. They were doomed to be overrun by the Babylonians. They realised too late that they had neglected to trust in the only One who could deliver them. Like the Israelites, we can misplace our trust in things, people, or processes. Or, we can heed the warning. We can then experience the flourishing of life that comes from trusting the Lord. Jesus is our source of true trust and blessing.
At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus came to ultimately deliver us, which begs the question: are we trusting in Him to save us, help us, and deliver us? Placing our trust in anything or anyone other than Jesus is idolatry. How can you know if your faith is not truly in God? Ask yourself: Where do I turn when I experience a crisis? When I am afraid or hurting, to whom do I turn? Where do I seek comfort when I am under stress or discouraged? God can and often does use others as a means of support and provision, but we need to be careful not to mistakenly misdirect our faith toward His provision instead of toward the Provider.
Thank You, Jesus, that You invite us to put our trust in You. Thank You for being our ultimate source of life, hope, and flourishing. As we head towards Christmas, with all its stresses and struggles, may we turn to You first and trust in You alone. Amen.
The busy season leading up to Christmas can challenge our finances, our relationships, and our emotional reserves. Spend a few minutes inviting the Holy Spirit to bring to light any areas where you are turning to trust in other things rather than Jesus. You might like to go back over the questions above. If there are any areas where this is the case, simply say sorry and reorient your trust towards Jesus.
This Christmas, may you experience hope, peace, and the true flourishing in life that comes from trusting in Jesus.