No Worries

TNIV Scripture for Wednesday, September 10, 2008 [Jeremiah 17:5-8]

This is what the LORD says: 'Cursed are those who trust in mortals, who depend on flesh for their strength and whose hearts turn away from the LORD. They will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 'But blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.'

A friend of mine shared some insight God gave her as she was asking Him questions about why she had no peace even though she was grabbing onto all the grace she could each day. God revealed to her that she was trying to take what He offers, but not from His hand. Instead, she realized she was doing an exercise in her mind that seemed right, but wasn't quite right and did not result in peace. As I listened to her, and tried to understand what she was saying, I realized that her wrong thinking may also be keeping others from having the peace God offers. It is easy to think you are running to God and receiving from Him without actually talking to Him and taking from His hand what you need. When you do that, your focus, then, is your need and His grace, but not on Him and that He is always the necessary mediator of this grace exchange (need for grace). May you trust in Him and not His provision. May you boldly go into His throne room and give Him your need and receive His abundant grace from His hand. There is no other way to be like the tree planted in the desert and to have no worries in the year of drought.

Beth Warlick, 9/10/2008