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“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” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Psalm 1:3).
These scripture verses are an encouragement to trust in the Lord and be planted by His rivers of living water. We get to experience one of God’s greatest miracles every day: we have access to His Word. And to His Spirit through Baptism. Living Word and living water — these free gifts running abundantly to full contentment.
We take notice that planting ourselves along the banks of His water does not remove us from the heat or the drought. No one ever rightly claimed that daily enrichment in the miracle of God’s living Word eliminates affliction in our lives. But it certainly builds power — the necessary energy to "take root downward and bear fruit upward" (Isaiah 37:31). Daily trust in the safe hands of God reminds and guides us where to plant the tree of our family. Then daily surrender of our will lets us joyfully receive and distribute the peace of Christ living in and through us (Galatians 2:20).
The tension with the world and the constant temptation from evil is that a portion of this power should be held back and stored for future needs. On the one hand, we are called to provide for our family (1 Timothy 5:8). On the other, is an eternal supply with endless real estate along the banks for all of His children (Ezekiel 47:12).
In His time, according to His plan, our spiritual maturity will embrace the idea of Christ’s power flowing through us — nothing retained for ourselves — eternal water, eternal fruit. “How foolish to prefer a drop before the sea!”1
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