Reading: Jeremiah 15-18
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 (Jer. 17:5-8).
We tend to think of curses as something that befalls us from an outside source, such as the ones God warned the Israelites they would face if they chose not to obey Him. But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee (Deut. 28:15). But the truth is, the most dangerous curse mankind will ever face is 100% self-inflicted. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
Trust is rooted in self-preservation and begins with a single choice. We look at our lives, examine the world around us, and determine what we believe will best keep us from harm. Once we make that determination, we extend our trust. When we trust something, we expect it to act in such a way that promotes our well-being—physical, mental, or emotional. After being introduced to the concept of God and His Word, the question of trust takes on a deeper meaning. Trusting in God means taking a leap of faith instead of relying on concrete proof. It also means looking at the larger picture rather than narrowly focusing on worldly concepts of well-being. To the world, trust in God is a nonsensical concept, but to the true believer, the choice to trust in God is the greatest gift they could give themselves.
When a person chooses to place their ultimate trust in mankind over God, they curse themselves to a life of disappointment and betrayal. No other outcome is possible, no matter how carefully they vet the objects of their trust. Even the most righteous human is sinful and prone to error, easily swayed by emotions and the constantly shifting sands of public opinion. Those who claim only to trust in themselves will also fail to find the secure footing they seek, as we are even quicker to lie to ourselves than we are to others. Trust in mankind is steeped in fear. Fear of change, fear of loss, fear of the unknown, fear of death.
When we choose to trust in God over mankind, our whole world opens up. Peace replaces fear as the underlying emotion on which our lives are built, and Godly truth and righteousness form a solid, never shifting foundation upon which we can stand. We face the world with the comfortable, quiet confidence of one who already knows the ending and thus is content to experience whatever comes along the way. Freed from our need to expect perfection where none can be found, we liberally season our interactions with grace, thus improving our relationships with our fellow man. Our hope is in the Lord, and in Him, we are complete.
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen (Rom. 15:33)
Thought for Today: To believe in mankind is to understand our nature and failings with a forgiving spirit, not to trust in our virtuous capacities.
Christ Revealed: By Jeremiah's words to God: Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart (Jer. 15:16). Jesus said: The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life (John 6:63).
Word Studies: 15:1 toward = favorable to; 15:6 repenting = grieving over and giving you another chance; 17:10 try the reins = test the heart; 18:11 frame = prepare; 18:15 in a way not cast up = on paths of sin, not ways of righteousness and honor.
Pray For Staff: Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA) • Country : American Samoa (54,517) South Pacific Ocean • Major Languages: Samoan, English • Religious Freedom • 50% Christian Congregationalist; 20% Roman Catholic; 30% Protestant/Other • Prayer Suggestion : Pray that God will keep you from speaking evil (Ps. 34:13).
Optional Readings:II Peter 3