Rooted in the Lord

“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-7)

The words of Jeremiah ring as true today as they did in the days of old. God sets before us a stark contrast: two paths, two choices, two destinies. One is the way of the man who trusts in flesh, whose heart departs from the Lord. The other is the way of the man whose hope is the Lord, rooted in His eternal strength. These are not mere words—they are a call to examine where we place our trust.


God declares, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.” When we lean on human strength—be it our own wisdom, wealth, or the might of others—we are like the heath in the desert, a brittle shrub barely surviving in barren land. Such a soul “shall not see when good cometh” but dwells in parched places, cut off from life’s true source. In our world, we’re tempted to trust in fleeting things: money, status, or the praise of men. Yet these are as shifting sand, unable to sustain us when trials come. A heart turned from God withers, for it has no root in the living water.

But oh, the beauty of the blessed man! “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” This soul is like a tree planted by the waters, its roots deep in the river of God’s grace. When heat comes—and it will come—this tree fears not. Its leaf remains green, its fruit abundant, even in the year of drought. Why? Because its hope is not in the changing seasons of life but in the unchanging Lord. This is the promise of God: those who trust in Him shall not be careful—anxious—in times of scarcity, for their strength flows from the eternal fountain.


Consider the world around us. We’re pressed to chase after what fades—riches that rust, glory that vanishes. Yet Scripture calls us to a higher trust. In Psalm 1:3, we see this same tree, planted by rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in season. In John 4:14, our Lord Jesus promises that whosoever drinks of the water He gives shall never thirst. To trust in the Lord is to anchor our souls in His promises, to rest in His provision, to abide in His love.

I recall a brother who faced great loss—his livelihood shaken, his future uncertain. Yet he clung to the words of Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” His trust in God bore fruit: peace in turmoil, hope in despair. That’s the mark of a life rooted in the Lord.

So, let us ask ourselves: Where are our roots? Are we trusting in the arm of flesh, scrambling in the desert of our own strength? Or are we planted by the waters, trusting in the Lord? The choice is ours, and the promise is sure: those who make the Lord their hope will stand firm, their leaves ever green, their fruit never ceasing, even in the hardest seasons.

Let us pray: O Lord, our hope and strength, forgive us when we trust in fleeting things. Plant us by thy living waters, that our roots may grow deep in thy love. Keep us steadfast in drought and fruitful in every season, for thy glory. Amen.


DMMc 6-28-25

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