Jeremiah 17:5-18: Blessings in Troubled Times
AFTER BEING BATTERED all day by a hot south wind, the squash vines and tomato plants in our garden drooped in the fading light. They practically cried out for water from the sprinkler. But the trees in the yard were green and flourishing, though they required far more water than the squash and tomatoes. The deep roots of the trees found a hidden source of water far below the surface where the garden plants struggled. Like those trees, people who trust in the Lord are not at the mercy of surface circumstances because we have deep roots to our eternal Source.
Warming Up to God
When have you experienced God's strength in a difficult time?
Read Jeremiah 17:5-18. »
Discovering the Word
- What geographical and human conditions in Jeremiah's society are described in relation to one another (vv. 5-8, 11, 15-18)?
- Why will the person who relies on human strength be disappointed (vv. 5-6)?
- How does God provide for the person who relies on him instead of on human strength (vv. 7-8)?
- What is the state of the human heart before God (vv. 9-10)?
- What did Jeremiah continue to hope for (vv. 14-18)?
Applying the Word
- What "drought conditions" are you facing now?
- In what ways do you find it easier to trust someone or something else besides God to see you through those circumstances?
- How does God's promise in verses 7-8 give you confidence?
Responding in Prayer
Bring the most difficult circumstances of your life to the Lord. Remembering the deceitfulness of the human heart, acknowledge any ways in which you are trusting something or someone besides God. Renew your trust in him and allow the "living water" (v. 13) to refresh you.
For Further Study
Run with the Horses by Eugene H. Peterson