Jeremiah 17:1-16: a reflection

1“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars. 2Even their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills. 3My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders. 4You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don’t know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.” 5The LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from the LORD. 6For he will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, an uninhabited salt land. 7“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose confidence is in the LORD. 8For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit. 9The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it? 10“I, the LORD, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” 11As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool. 12A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be disappointed. Those who depart from me will be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living waters. 14Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise. 15Behold, they ask me, “Where is the LORD’s word? Let it be fulfilled now.” 16As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.

Jeremiah draws a sharp contrast between two ways of living, pictured as two kinds of plant. Cursed is the one who trusts in man, he says, who relies on human strength and whose heart turns from the LORD; he is like a shrub in the desert, in a parched and salty land, seeing no good when it comes. But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD; he is like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream, unafraid when heat comes, its leaves green, not anxious in drought, never ceasing to bear fruit.

Notice the two trusts and their two outcomes. The one who trusts in human strength, in flesh, is like a desert shrub, parched, fruitless, unable to see good even when it comes. But the one who trusts in the LORD is like a tree by the water, whose roots reach the stream, so that even in heat and drought its leaves stay green and it keeps bearing fruit. Where we place our trust determines whether we wither like the desert shrub or flourish like the well-watered tree.

That searches where our trust truly rests. We are prone to trust in human strength, our own or others', in what flesh can provide; but such trust leaves us like the desert shrub, dry and unfruitful, unable to withstand the droughts of life. To trust in the LORD, however, is to be like the tree by the water, drawing life from a source that does not fail, so that we can endure the heat and drought and still bear fruit. Where does your trust rest? Do not trust in human strength, which leaves you parched; trust in the LORD, and sink your roots into him, the stream that does not fail. Then, when the heat and drought of hard times come, you will not wither, but stay green and bear fruit, like the tree planted by the water, whose confidence is in the LORD.

Lord, Jeremiah contrasts two ways of living: the one who trusts in human strength, like a shrub in the desert, parched and fruitless; and the one who trusts in you, like a tree planted by water, whose leaves stay green and which bears fruit even in drought. Search where my trust truly rests. I am prone to trust in human strength, my own or others', in what flesh can provide; but such trust leaves me like the desert shrub, dry and unfruitful, unable to withstand the droughts of life. To trust in you is to be like the tree by the water, drawing life from a source that does not fail, so that I can endure the heat and drought and still bear fruit. Where does my trust rest? Keep me from trusting in human strength, which leaves me parched; help me trust in you, and sink my roots into you, the stream that does not fail. Then, when the heat and drought of hard times come, help me not to wither, but to stay green and bear fruit, like the tree planted by the water, whose confidence is in you. Be my trust and my source of life, Lord.