I spent some time the other day watering the trees and some of the rose bushes in the back yard with a water hose.  It has been so hot that even with our sprinkler system the trees and flowers are really taking a beating.  As I was watering the plants and thinking about how hot it has been outside, I was reminded of Jeremiah 17:7 – 8.

Jeremiah 17:7   “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. 8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

In this chapter, Jeremiah contrasts the experience of those who trust in themselves and those who trust in God.  Those who trust in themselves or trust in man are compared to a lonely, parched shrub in the desert which barely manages to survive.  On the other hand, those who trust in God are like a tree planted by an ever flowing stream.  Oh, they will still feel the heat of this world and face droughts from time to time, but they do not need to worry.  They can trust that God will continue to refresh them, revive them, and help them bear fruit.