"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)
You're either a river tree or a desert bush. There's no middle ground in Jeremiah's picture. One is planted by abundant water with roots that go deep. The other scrambles in barren ground searching for drops that never come. One thrives even in drought. The other withers in constant panic. Which one are you?
Jeremiah describes the desert bush as someone who trusts in man and draws strength from flesh. It sends roots everywhere looking for life. It chases approval, success, comfort, relationships, anything that promises relief. But you can't survive on scattered drops. Every source eventually dries up, so the bush keeps searching desperately. It never finds rest because it's planted in sand with no reliable stream.
The river tree is completely different. It trusts in the Lord and sends roots toward one source. It doesn't panic when heat comes because it knows where the water is. It doesn't frantically search in a hundred directions. It sinks deep into one stream that never runs dry. Its leaves stay green, its fruit keeps coming, and it doesn't fear drought.
Paul says you're meant to be "rooted and built up in him." Not in scattered sources that feel good temporarily. Not in approval, success, comfort, or control. In Christ. When your roots sink deep into Him through His Word, prayer, and His people, you stop the desperate scrambling. You rest because you've found living water that never fails. FIRM roots come from depth in one place, not breadth across many.
Most believers live like desert bushes while calling themselves river trees. They say they trust God but their roots chase everything else first. When anxiety hits, they scroll endlessly before they pray. When identity wavers, they seek validation from people before seeking Christ. When comfort fades, they turn to anything that numbs the pain. Their roots prove where they're really planted.
Here's the test: Where do your roots go first? When pressure comes, what do you reach for? When you're alone with your thoughts, what stream are you drinking from? If you're constantly anxious, comparing yourself, or feeling empty, your roots are probably in the sand. You're dying slowly because you're chasing drops instead of sinking deep into the river.
Godseekers, you can't be both a river tree and a desert bush. You're either planted by living water or you're dying in the sand. Stop scattering your roots across a thousand dry wells. Sink them deep into Christ and stay there. FIRM roots grow when you stop chasing scattered drops and commit to one stream that never runs dry.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I've been living like a desert bush, chasing life from scattered sources that can't sustain me. Forgive me for trusting in man, in my own strength, and in temporary comforts instead of You. Plant me firmly by the river of Your presence. Help me sink my roots deep into Christ through Your Word, prayer, and Your people. I don't want to survive on scattered drops anymore. I want FIRM roots that go deep into living water. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- When pressure, anxiety, or emptiness hit, where do my roots go first—toward scattered sources or toward Christ?
- What would it look like for me to stop chasing life from many shallow sources and commit to sinking deep roots into Christ alone?
Step of Faith
Today, I will identify one "scattered source" I've been chasing for life and will intentionally redirect my roots toward Christ by spending focused time in His Word, prayer, or community instead.
