Bountiful Spirit - March 4, 2021
Jeremiah 17:5–10
Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is devious above all else;it is perverse--who can understand it?
I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.
Reflection by Alan Gibby
After reading this passage, my mind went immediately to the pre-marriage counseling that Barrie and I received from the Presbyterian minister who was preparing to marry us. He first told us the three potential problem areas that could lead to divorce: money, sex, and in-laws. OK; thanks for that information, I guess. What next? Then he explained that as humans we are desperate to fill an emotional and spiritual void in our lives. We tend to look at a spouse, a child, a job, a hobby, or perhaps a home to fill that void. What he shared was exactly what Jeremiah is telling us. “Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals,” reads Jeremiah. The only true way to fill that void is with the love of God who will not disappoint us, will be a constant companion, and will always offer unconditional love. We might lose a spouse for any number of reasons or a job or a home, but the love that God provides is like “a tree planted by the water sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when the heat comes and its leaves shall stay green…;”
I find comfort in these words and reassurance that God is always there for us no matter what our circumstances might be and no matter how unfaithful we may be at times. Thank you, God, for being our constant companion.
