Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
What tremendous benefits are discovered for the one that trusts the Lord with all their heart and does not lean upon their own understanding. Trusting in the Lord is simply believing what God has said. It is having faith in the incarnate Word of God and trusting all that the Lord has revealed to us in the written Word of God. Blessed indeed is the man that trusts in the Lord. Favored and fortunate is the one whose hope is resting in the God of our Salvation. It was Jeremiah who wrote these words. He was acutely aware of the sins of Judah and the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel. He knew that man’s heart is deceitful above all things, and that fallen man can be swept into deep despondency when faith in the Lord fails or falters. He was surrounded by a nation that had fallen into apostasy, and it was in His distress that he sought the Lord for healing and deliverance. At the start of his ministry, Jeremiah had been warned that the people would not listen to his message, and the guilt of the nation stands in stark contrast with the innocence of this solitary prophet of God. It was as He lamented the unbelief of the people and became distressed by the destructive consequences of their sin, that he was led to reignite his own faith by confessing the truth: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD. and whose hope is the LORD.” Trusting the Lord is simply believing that the one and only Way God has provided for fallen man to be saved, is through the sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is having faith in the unchangeable truth that God has opened up for us in the Scriptures, and has revealed to us through His only begotten Son. Without faith we are ships without a rudder that are tossed and adrift on the merciless sea of life, for the one who draws near to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Christian hope is not a vain, fingers-crossed fantasy, and faith in God is not founded on fiction, but on fact. Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet for he not only warned Israel that disobedience towards the Lord would result in their dispersion amongst the nations, but he was also one who warned of Judah’s final downfall and witnessed its devastating destruction. He wept bitterly as he watched the Presence of God withdraw from the Temple of the Lord. Like her sister Israel, Judah had also fallen into deep idolatry, which resulted in an extended period of Israel’s dispersion among the nations. What a sombre message that trust in man and the worship of idols has its devastating rewards. Nevertheless, there is a message of hope and a promise of restoration in Jeremiah’s challenging message to Judah. In the midst of this weeping prophet’s sharp accusations and strong condemnation of the idolatry of Israel, who had turned from their faithful God to idols, we discover a refreshing oasis: “Blessed is the man that puts his trust in the Lord, for he will be like a well-watered tree, who is refreshed and rejuvenated in the streams of living water.” This refreshment only flows from our faithful God. The heart is twisted and perverse above all things, and when we view ourselves from our own distorted perspective, we are too often led into error. Only the one that rests in the Lord and trusts their lives into His hands is able to be like a well-watered tree that receives hope and strength from their Father in heaven. Amidst an avalanche of condemnation against ungodliness and idolatry, both Israel and the Church have received God’s gracious reassurance: “Blessed is the man whose delight in the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of living water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, and whatever they do prospers.” Blessed is the one whose confident hope is in the Lord, for he will be like a tree planted by the rivers of living water that extends its roots into His life-giving streams. That man or woman will not fear when problems and life’s difficulties arise, but will hope in the Lord for strength and deliverance. They will not be anxious in a year of drought nor will they cease to yield fruit, more fruit, much fruit, to the glory of God and to their own eternal benefit. Trust the Lord with all your heart. It’s a powerful statement to say that not only is a man blessed for trusting the Lord, but that his trust IS the Lord. That’s next level…transcending. It’s pretty simple. When we trust in the Lord, we are blessed. Otherwise, we are cursed. It’s not good enough to just believe, we must trust! Read that last sentence again. Understand that the difference between trusting and believing can be the difference between heaven and hell. Trusting the Lord allows you to set your roots and grow. Your trust in God means that you need not fear, for He will protect you; He will provide. He will grant you the divine strength to overcome all obstacles and navigate the most challenging of circumstances. Don’t just believe in Him, trust in Him!
Spiritual Steve 