Trust Above Everything || Jeremiah 17:7-8 || Manna of the Mind #32

Welcome to Day 32 of my “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series takes a passage of scripture (typically 1-3 verses) and builds its understanding through its context and connecting scripture. Doing this helps us understand what the Bible truly teaches us. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8

7             “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8             They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Trust is the Hebrew verb batach (baw-takh’), which means to trust. It refers to trusting in God. We see it describe trust, confidence, boldness, carelessness, and hope. Confidence is the Hebrew noun mibtach mib-tawkh’), which means confidence. It refers to the product of confidence. It comes from the word meaning trust. It’s about the security and assurance that comes with having confidence.

Blessed are those who actively display trust, hope, and boldness in God and have made God their security and assurance. We’ll look at different facets of this through various Psalms today.

Psalm 1:3 builds on the imagery of trees.

Psalm 1:3

3             They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their lives never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

The phrase “they prosper in all they do” doesn’t mean that God’s chosen people are immune from failure and difficulties. It doesn’t guarantee health and happiness either. The Bible teaches us this: When we apply God’s wisdom, the fruit we bear will be good and receive God’s approval.

A lot of us take being a Christian as this “get rich quick” scheme. We follow God, so life will always be good, and nothing terrible will happen to us. In my experience, it’s the opposite. The common phrase Christians say and hear is, “God gives his strongest battles to his toughest warriors.” Christians who have committed to living a life for God are often tormented by the evil spirits of this world. The adversary sees us thriving in our Christian walk and will double and triple-up his forces to rebel against God. We don’t give in.

Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we are to soak up God’s Word and produce actions and attitudes that honor him. We must have God’s Word in our hearts to achieve anything worthwhile. It takes extra preparation to continue battling while also being a Christian. This isn’t to discount those who suffer and don’t believe. For Christians, we have a source of healing, comfort, and strength. As big as those sources are, the sources of evil are just as significant. It’s time to get planted in who we are in God and branch out our gifts in a way that honors God and benefits the community around us.

Psalms 40:4 says this about the joys of trusting.

Psalm 40:4

4             Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.

If you trust in God, you will find joy in the Lord. Those people don’t set their ways in arrogant people and worship different things above who God is. In the case of today’s society, how many of us see different ads pushing for the latest lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, meditation app, clothing brands, cars, houses, social media platforms, and the list can go on. Some of us put our trust and value into this, forgetting to include God’s leadership and guidance in what would work best for us. This isn’t to say that any of those things are bad, but when we put them above what God can do for us, then we become an idol worshipper. Trust in God to guide you in the lifestyle practices that make sense for you in the season you are in right now. When the seasons change, God will guide you to the next thing.

Psalm 92:12-14 builds more on the tree imagery.

Psalm 92:12-14

12          But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.

13          For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.

14          Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.

Palm trees are known for their long life span. The variety of palm trees can live from 40 to 200 years, depending on the type of fruit they produce. We must be like a palm tree, standing tall and living long. The psalms of the region where Psalm 92 was written are also an excellent food source, producing dates (one of the 200-year-old trees.) The cedars of Lebanon could grow up to 120 feet tall and up to 30 feet around. They were solid, strong, and immovable.

The psalmist saw believers as upright, firm, productive, and unmoved by the winds of circumstances and aging. Those who firmly believe in God can have this strength and vitality. It doesn’t have to do with our physical age. Young people are known to have unlimited strength and energy. The young people I know aren’t like that, but that’s who I know. Even as we age, devoted believers can produce spiritual fruit. Many faithful older people continue to have a fresh outlook. They can teach us from a lifetime of experience in serving God.

What’s the best avenue to bring people of many generations together for fruit production and fellowship? Church! Churches should always look for ways to tap into their experience and wisdom. If you attend a place of worship, physically or virtually, seek out an elderly friend. Engage in fellowship with them through talking about their experiences with the Lord. See where they can challenge you to grow spiritually in all parts of your life.

Father God, thank you for the fellowship and community of the believers. We are not perfect people, but we are progressing people. That progression can only happen when we gather together. Place those people in our path that will help us in our season. Give us the confidence, guidance, and wisdom to converse with them. Help us learn from each other to grow the Kingdom of God. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.