Saturday, July 4, 2020

TRUST IN THE LORD AND BE BLESSED

PROCLAMATION
“But blessed is the one who trusts 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.”  Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  Chapter seventeen of The Bible Book of Jeremiah begins by stating the consequences that the Jews will face for their idolatry. (Jeremiah 17:1-4)  The Lord says cursed is the one who trusts in man and turns away from God. (Jeremiah 17:5-6)  Then He says blessed is the one who trusts in The Lord. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  The words used here are very similar to the words used in the beginning of the first Psalm. (Psalm 1:2-3)  After this He states that the heart of man is deceitful and beyond cure.  He will judge the heart of each person and will reward them as their deeds deserve. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)  After Jeremiah again makes a plea for his personal safety, The Lord goes on a discourse to say that the people should keep the Sabbath Day holy. (Jeremiah 17:19-27)

APPLICATION
The phrase “trust in The Lord” appears in The Bible nineteen times.  It appears as a command, and it appears as a statement of planned personal activity.  Those who trust in The Lord are blessed.  They are the ones who look to The Lord for forgiveness, peace, righteousness, protection, grace, and mercy.  Trust in The Lord and be blessed.



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