There is a sharp contrast between the pleasant verses of Jeremiah 17:7-8 and the unpleasant ones that precede them. Instead of the “blessed” man who “trusts in the LORD” we read of the “cursed” man who trusts in himself and other men, whose heart “departs from God”.
The result is that he is “like a dry bush in the desert” who shall not notice when good comes, but will “inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land”. The contrast graphically illustrates the difference between the spiritual condition of the two men and their surrounds.
The first spreads out his spiritual roots to the River of Life and the second chooses to exclude God as the source of his supply. When salt pans appear on farm property, they ruin the soil. Whichever choice we make, sooner or later, the result will become apparent.
Take a good look at your personal life. Sure, bad things happen to good people, and the reverse is true. But that aside, most of us have some idea of what’s wrong with ourselves, and why. As King Solomon wrote: “Every man knows the plague of his own heart.”
The “blessed man” has (1) A Privileged Position, in that he is planted in the right place; (2) A Secret Life Source, in that he is deeply connected to the River; and (3) Is Seasonally Productive, in that his productivity is not dependent of external supply or conditions.
Our trust in God plants us in the right place, and our prayer life connects us to His unfailing resources; and because we have an “evergreen” expectancy, we are anxiety free and in season productive.
The Bible was written when agriculture was dominant, and a reliable water source and seasonal productivity were the main realities in life. The difference between a good harvest and a ruined one was a matter of life or death. The problem nowadays is that we fail to see our personal and our family condition as every bit as serious spiritually.
Would you prefer to be independent? God will not prevent you from living in the way those do who have no fear of the outcome. But if you were able to see your future as God sees it — as dry and unproductive — you might maybe think differently.
Lorraine and I live a blessed life. Sure, we have problems from time to time — who doesn’t? Not every season is a good one. But all in all, we are blessed. If we had chosen to “do our own thing” rather than God’s will, our lives would be cursed. Not as a direct judgement by God but as the result of our decision to separate ourselves from His loving care.
Yes, there would have been good seasons, but overall, we would have missed our opportunity to serve God in this life, and in the next life. As for regrets, we and our four now adult children have none in the first and will have none in the second because we all chose to live in the will of God.
Jesus is the Way and God is the Destination! Choose a blessed and productive life, not a cursed and unproductive one! It’s your choice.