Week Four: WATER
Monday / Running Water
Read Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
Think
I lived for a while in an old, converted summer cabin. Before many expensive upgrades, the neighborhood water system broke down frequently. At one time, it was breaking down almost daily. Construction workers had been working on the water mains for weeks, in an attempt to upgrade and improve the system. As a result, I would often turn on the tap and only air would come out. I thought I’d get used to having no water since it happened so often, but I never did. I had no way to wash the dishes or flush the toilet or bathe. It made me feel unsteady, as if the ground under my feet was shifting sand.
This is where the learning to trust God comes into the picture. In my head, I knew God was with me always-whether I had running water or not. But somehow, I didn’t believe it in my heart. So I made the mistake of asking God to make me like that tree in the scripture: not bothered or worried, always green, always fruitful. I prayed that God would teach me to trust God in everything.
And as God so often does, God taught me to trust by putting me in situations I couldn’t survive without trusting God.
“Be careful what you ask for,” as my mom says.
So I am becoming the tree. Gradually, bit by bit, I am learning how to trust God in everything. And God’s grace is all around me if I just remember to look for it: back when I had no running water in my house, the System Operator was always around, working for a solution and there was a river close by for hauling buckets of water. Every time my circumstances have changed, God has always provided, whether I needed a babysitter, a new job, or a reliable used car. So, there it was, God’s grace all around me, if only I could learn to trust God to provide for my needs.
Pray
Creator God, you have made all things, and you are making all things new. Help me as I journey along the road to trust. Teach me the steps to take so that I can become like the tree along the riverbank. Thank you for always being with me as I grow my roots ever deeper into you. Amen.
Do
Do you have a green thumb? Or are you a person who can’t keep an air plant alive? Maybe you’ve never tried to raise a houseplant or put a seed in the soil. Either way, it’s OK. This week I want you to give it a try. Get yourself a small pot, a little dirt or potting soil, and a small packet of seeds. If you don’t have a sunny windowsill, a lamp with a bright “natural light” bulb will do. Plant your seeds and set the pot under the lamp or on a windowsill. Water it well and then watch for growth. Be patient—these things can take time. When you see some sprouts, think about the small amount of care you gave them to get them growing. Then remember how God has provided for your growth. Thank God that God cares for you so much more.
The View from Mt. Hope 