Green Leaves

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in him.

He 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

I remember travelling across this great country of mine and being amazed at the varying variety of landscapes.  Majestic mountains gave way to prairies filled with waving wheat that surrendered to breathtaking canyons and rock formations.  There is no doubt that this land is filled with differing scenery.

One of the most curious sights, however, was found while driving through an arid region seemingly devoid of life.  Miles upon miles of travel revealed nothing more than dry, dusty terrain.  Suddenly, I spotted a crowd of cattle crammed into the shade of a single luscious tree.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered this lone tree was growing on the banks of a small stream.  Where no other plants seemed to have survived, the placement of this tree beside a life-giving source of water had assured it's survival.

I can be like that tree.  Even in the darkest of times, when nothing seems to be going right I can stand tall and serene, confident that my God will supply all my needs.

God is Trustworthy

I know no man who is worthy of my confidence 100% of the time.   I can place my trust in others, but at some point, they will let me down.  I, in turn, can do my best to diligently strive for excellence in the area of dependability and responsibility but I, too, will fail at some point.  We all are hopelessly flawed.

God, however does not have this problem.   David wrote in Psalm 18:30, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."  God will never let me down.  It goes against His character to collapse under the weight of my trust. 

Another reason I cannot trust another human to fulfill all my needs is because there is a lack of understanding.  God knows me better than I know my self.  No human can know another as intimately as God knows me.  This concept is beautifully recounted in Psalm 139:2-5.  David said, "You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  You go before me and follow me." (NLT)

As 20th Century writer Eugenia Price wrote, "With God our trust can be abandoned, utterly free.  In Him are no limitations, no flaws, no weaknesses.  His judgment is perfect, His knowledge of us is perfect, His love is perfect.  God alone is trustworthy."

Trusting God means I will never have to worry about whether He will let me down or misunderstand me.  

God Ordains my Position

I remember when we first moved to Germany under orders of the U.S. Army.  My husband had served several years by that time and was due for an overseas tour.  Our family of 6 arrived exhausted from a ten-hour flight and were immediately loaded onto a bus where we were driven to the local Army Kaserne or Post.

I was dismayed to see the vastness of the city, discouraged by the smell of pollution in the air and turned-off by the mass of humanity swarming everywhere.  How could I, a country girl, live in this large metropolis?

Well, God had placed me there in Frankfurt for a reason, and I soon grew to love the many parks, the amazing transportation system and the friendly people.  This country girl learned to live in the city.

God placed me exactly where He wanted me and it was up to me as to whether I would fight against His choice, or accept it.  

As St Francis de Sales, the 16th Century Bishop of Geneva said, "Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He was planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His providence."

Trusting God means I will choose to bloom where I am planted.

God Transcends

One of the things I love about flying in an airplane is looking out the window at the landscape below. It gives me a different perspective as I watch the tiny cars driving along teeny ribbons of highway through miniature neighborhoods filled with thousands of microscopic people.  I enjoy observing others' lives from such an elevated position, wondering where everyone is going, what they are thinking, and what struggles with which they are wrestling.  

In an even greater way, God can see all that is happening and knows how it will all play out.  He knows the struggles with which I am wrestling.  He allowed the difficulties with which I now battle.  He ordained the position in which I now find myself.

God transcends all things; all circumstances, all trouble, all hopeless situations. This is why the angel Gabriel could say to Mary as recorded in Luke 1:37 that, ". . .nothing is impossible with God."

The transcendent nature of God is hard for my ordinary mind to comprehend.  This is because, as God said through the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. . .And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

Since God is above all things and therefore not affected by the turmoil that is going on in this world, I can trust Him with it all.  He has a perspective that gives Him the advantage, and his position above all things means He won't be swayed, changed or influenced by circumstances.  He is above it all.

Trusting God is possible because He is above all things and will not change.

I can be like that tree planted beside the live-giving streams of water.  I can enjoy healthy green leaves and luscious fruit no matter the circumstances.  But the only way this will happen is if I trust in God.  I can because He is trustworthy, He is sovereign, and he is above all things.  

God makes it possible for me to trust Him.  All it takes is a little faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will learn to trust God no matter the situation.  

How do I fail to bloom where God has planted me?

In what areas can I better trust God as I remember He is above all things?