Meditate. Consider the choices you make every day.
This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human
strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs
in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren
wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. 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.” Jeremiah
17:5-8
Hope. It is what you make it. God offers us hope…but we have to claim it and make it our own. As Jeremiah the prophet wrote back sometime in 627-585 BC as the Lord told him what to say, blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. Can you say that you have made the Lord your hope and confidence? How do you do that? I think I’ve done that by surrendering my own will to the Lord. I want to live to please Him. It is sometimes a moment-by-moment choice. I want to do things my way…but I know that God wants me to put others first. So, I choose to do things the Lord’s way. It all comes back to those commandments that Jesus talked about…Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.
The trees planted along the
riverbank speak to my soul. When I was in about the eighth grade I was in a
confirmation class at the church where I grew up. We had to memorize scripture,
include Psalm 1. I still can recite that passage (well honestly—sort of) from
the King James Version and I think that it has guided me through my
life—seeking God and the right way to live.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law
doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way
of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 1:1-6 KJV
Do you see yourself like a tree planted by a stream of water? Are you producing fruit…like the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)? As always, it is our choice. Choose to have the Lord first in your life…and you will be choosing hope. Hope—not just for Advent, but for every day of your life.
Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, You are my
hope…and I thank you for all that You have done for me—most of all for being
the Lamb of God—the ultimate salvation for all mankind. You are like a tree
planted by the river—the River of Life—providing eternal life for all who
believe in You.
Verse of Salvation ~ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5
Friday’s Feasting at the King’s
Table
We can’t live on bread alone. Have some fruit and cheese with that bread. Consider the fruit of the spirit…and the fruits we have available in our stores today. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Oranges, apples, bananas, pomegranates, pineapples, pears, kiwi, grapes and lemons. The variety is endless depending on where you live. What’s on your plate today? As you eat the bounty of food God has provided for you, consider the Fruit of the Spirit, and give thanks for all that God has bestowed on you, your family, friends and neighbors.
Are you sharing of the wealth—the fruit—that God has supplied for you? There is never a time to be selfish. Share with others—the food and the hope.
Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character
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