Cursed or Blessed

 

Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

who depends on flesh for his strength and

whose heart turns away from the Lord.

He will be like a bush in the wastelands:

he will not see prosperity when it comes.

But blessed is the man who trust in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

Jeremiah 17:5b-6a, 7-8a

Jeremiah 17 has so much to say! In referring to the man who is like a tree planted by the water the Lord goes on to say that “it does not fear” and that “it has no worries.” Doesn't that sound wonderful? Why does that tree live with such confidence? The answer is in the verses above, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.”

The part of the verse that first caught my eye many years ago, was this, “He will not see prosperity when it comes.” It doesn't say it won't come. It says the man who trusts in his own flesh, his way, will not see prosperity. You know a “man” like that I bet. He worries and moans and declares woe is me, over and over. Meanwhile you're looking at a life that looks pretty good. Bills are paid, he's in good health, family is intact. So what's the problem? It's not enough. Again, the question is why and again the answer is in the verse. They're not satisfied because they're trusting in the flesh, in their own efforts.

Look at the man referred to as blessed. That man trusts in the Lord. The rest of verse eight says that man does not fear or worry, even though heat comes and even in times of drought. That man neither fears nor worries and using the tree analogy, the Scripture says that “its leaves are always green” and that “it never fails to bear fruit.” That man is not looking to his own power. That man is looking to his Father, to the source of all good things. (James 1:17)

Looking at circumstances, at the people around me I might decide that I need more; that what I have, what I am is not enough. Looking at my Savior, at the gifts from my Abba, I can see that my cup overflows. No thing, no amount of things, money, success is ever enough if that is your god and your goal. If God is your God and pleasing Him is your goal then whatever you have is a blessing.

Recognizing that what we truly need to live is a relationship with Jesus Christ, changes everything. It doesn't mean that we'll suddenly be rich and famous, living worry free lives in perfect health. It means that we know whatever comes along, whatever our circumstances may be that God is on His throne, that He loves us and regardless of how it may look, our leaves are green and our trees are producing fruit.