This week, as a community, we’d like to pause between plans and refresh the way rhythms we use to read God’s Word. Join us as we dig into some familiar (or not so familiar) pieces of scripture and seek our Father together by reading and processing this truth.
Today’s passage is Jeremiah 17:5-10
First, let’s pray. Ask the Lord to open your heart and your mind and to help you focus on Him. Confess the things that might be keeping you from really truly experiencing His presence and submit your time to His will.
Second, let’s read Truth! Take your time and see what catches your attention. Make notes of what impresses you and moves you. Try to see the whole picture of what the passage is conveying. What does it say about God?
Next, reflect on what He’s saying. What does this passage mean for you and for the body of Christ? Is there anything you feel like He is personally communicating to you for your exact season, situation, or circumstance?
Lastly, let’s respond. Prayerfully and humbly, see what’s next. What do you need to do in light of what you’ve read? How will it affect your day, your life, and your walk with the Lord?
And as always, feel free to share with us in the comments below!
It is our joy to read Truth with you all.
I took the time to look up what a heath was this morning. It's a species of juniper. The Bible dictionary described it as gloomy, shunted in appearance with scale like leaves pressed close to it's gnarled stem. Wow! What a picture of our hearts when we put our trust in man/ourselves.
Jump down to verse 8 and you'll see the awesome contrast that Jeremiah used! I love it. What a great reminder to stay close to the Lord and trust our Father. Abba, I belong to you.
Thanks Angela for the insight on what the word heath means…I was thinking about it but did not take the time to look it up. This is such a wonderful thing we are doing among our sisters in Christ. Everyday I look forward to hearing the thoughts of others. What I am beginning to realize is that we all are doing it God's way…we know that when we try to do it our way…we get stuck and when we get stuck…we call out to our Father. Jeremiah is basically saying…Do it God's way and you will never feel or get stuck. Now how powerful is that!!!!! Love you guys…be well.
This passage in Jeremiah has been a long time favorite. I need to constantly remind myself to not be surprised when people fail me. God's Word makes it clear that only He is completely trustworthy. Even my own thoughts and heart can't be trusted!
I've been feeling rather heavy-hearted lately. The Lord and I have been hashing through some tangled, thorny bramble (choosing to stay with the plant theme here) related to ongoing adult post-adoption issues. I have FEELINGS that keep coming up, that exhaust my mental, emotional and spiritual resources. Especially this time of the year (summer) when we get invited to family gatherings, dinners, events.
The scripture today reminds me that my heart (where my feelings come from) is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (NIV) or desperately wicked (NLT). The Lord alone knows my heart, my secret thoughts, motives, ambitions. I think that's why the Word says that we are to trust God alone. To put our hope and confidence in only Him. Trust in my feelings will fail me and lead me further and further away from God's best. Trust in human reasoning…not gonna work either!
My hope comes in choosing to surrender my heart to God's. To let my roots reach deep into the gentle, flowing stream of His care that refreshes, renews and heals.
Love your words here JuneBug … as a woman our feelings can sometimes be all we see. They overtake us and consume us. Our responses are "uncontrollable" … without God.
My feelings are exactly that, mine and mine alone. They come from my deceitful heart. Each of us need to figure out a way to call on His name in the midst of our feelings. To check ourselves inwardly prior to expressing outwardly. I pray that simply calling on His name will help me align my heart and my feelings in those moments of "crazy".
I pray that I see Jesus more and more as my source. A necessity in life. I want my trust to be found with Him.
Lara, I loved your prayer to "see Jesus more and more as my source." I want to place my complete trust in the Lord, but find myself failing time after time. Being the control freak that I am, I tend to think I've got it all under control rather than it being under God's control. This is something I can pray daily, to put my focus back on Jesus as my source of strength and life. (This is my first post on SRT! Excited to be a part of this amazing community!)
You and Lara said it so beautifully! When I begin to feel overwhelmed by my feelings, I try to focus on a meditation that came to me one time a few weeks ago – "This feeling will pass, it is just a feeling." My acupunturist also taught me this trick – I close my eyes and picture a hurricane on a radar screen (seriously). I place myself in that sweet spot in the center where there are no clouds, no winds. I envision my feelings and the problems I'm having or the people who upset me in the swirling storm around me, but I stay in the calm center. I acknowledge the presence of my feelings & the problems/people furiously swirling around me, but I don't jump out of the eye into the storm. I picture myself waiting there until the "storm" passes – because it always does. I picture myself sitting there with God, in His peace. I don't talk to myself or try to think of anything other than "this feeling/problem/etc. will pass; it is just a feeling." I often hear and feel the Holy Spirit guide me. I'm a very visual person and this meditation has really helped me. It's definitely a work in progress and I found it hard to just sit still and concentrate in the beginning. I also tend to forget to do this sometimes and fly off the handle anyway, but I try!
Thank you for this 'hurricane' tip/tool. When my hurtfilled feelings are swirling inside my heart, I have difficulty finding God's presence. I know he is there, but the 'walls' go up. Reading everyone's comments on this website helps me feel less alone in my struggle to keep those walls from shutting myself off from God and my family. My prayer is to keep tapping into this river of hope and truth that I am finding in She Reads Truth.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (v.9) stood out to me and made me sad. Such truth but still quite painful. To think that something designed to be good and an aid to us (our hearts) can no longer be trusted because of our sinful nature. Call me melodramatic, but that grieves me sometimes. I'm currently trying to figure that bit out in my own life. I've had history of trusting my heart (and people) too much, but also of closing myself off and becoming hard-hearted. One is kind of a result of the other and that can become a viscous cycle. That's where the trust these verses mention comes in, so that we can be like the tree by the water. Working on that daily. :)
I don't think you're melodramatic at all! Too often i feel the same way, and fall into a cycle of opening my heart- then only to close it up tight because i've felt taken advantage of or hurt for trying to do something from the heart only to be ridiculed or disappointed. I pray everyday for God to soften my heart and to hide His word there. There's comfort in that!
Blessings to you! :)
Verse 5 tell me that if we trust in man we won't be able to see prosperity when it comes and as we're trusting in man we're not trusting God from whom all blessings flow. Also today's reading reminds us that as we trust the Lord he will "supply all our needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus".
Perfect scripture for the day I'm heading to the hospital to be induced. Definitely not *my* plan for this birth, nor was going a week past my due date. I've had to majorly let go and put myself fully into God's hands, relying on His strength for whatever may come.
Praying for you, Mindy! You've got this! #ilovebabies
Praying for a smooth and safe delivery Mama Mindy! What blessing awaits for you and your family! Joyful, joyful!
Best of luck to you and your baby!
"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." This verse speaks of choice. We can choose to make so many "things" our hope and confidence, but they will always let us down eventually. I choose to make the Lord both my hope and my confidence. Hope in my heart, confidence in my mind. When I focus on these truths, I have no need to worry about the storms and droughts of life. But… I know I have to make this choice daily because it's so easy to look around this world and this life and become swayed by circumstances.
"They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water." This is one of my very favorite verses and I always picture a beautiful scene in my mind: the French Broad River runs through Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and trees are planted along the riverbank. These trees are quite old now and their branches stretch long over the river and their roots run deep and wide along the bank and into the water. Biltmore was a favorite place for mom and me, and we made at least one trip there each year for many years. Those are wonderful memories. The reassurance I feel in my heart when I read or think of that verse and picture that scene in my mind (doing one always conjures up the other)… the peace I feel is beyond words.
Yes, it's all about choice. That's what I got out of reading this scripture today too Lauren. Choosing to trust the Lord.
Btw, your description of the French Broad River paints such a beautiful picture; it makes me want to visit Asheville, NC just to see the trees along the riverbank. Based on your description alone, I can understand why it was such a favorite spot for you and your mom to visit. :)
You should try to visit Asheville if you can, JuneBug! It is a beautiful place. I hope today is a good one for you!
I second that, JuneBug! If you ever have the opportunity, you definitely need to come check Asheville and the surrounding areas out. They definitely don't disappoint!
Amen about those trees along the French Broad! They always catch my eye when I'm out in that area. They are so majestic! Imagine the stories they could tell. Being able to live here in Western NC has definitely made me feel more connected with God. There's something very special about these mountains!
Amen! You are so right – I would love to hear those stories. I'm in Greensboro but I spend as much time as possible in our lovely mountains. I also feel a very powerful connection with God when I'm there, especially after a long hike and I've reached an overlook or summit. My soul sings there! Hope you aren't having any problems with flooding with all this rain. Take care!
My username changed. It's the same Cristen :)
I really feel connected when I'm up on Mt. Mitchell or down in Black Mountain Campground. That's when I've really felt close to Him.
Some of the areas close by had some flooding. Some people had their driveways, bridges and gardens wash out. One of the travel lanes of a major road that leads to my Dad's actually washed out as well. Luckily the South Toe River didn't breach its banks. If it had, things would've been worse.
Y'all are amazing ladies. Really good insights.
Every time I read this passage, I am always struck by the idea of "not being anxious" AND "continuing to bear fruit" in a time of drought. I think of times of "drought" that I have endured – hard financial times, family issues, broken relationships, job disappointments,etc. What does it look like to bear fruit when you consider it a win just to make it through the day? And I am always reminded of Habakkuk 3:17-18.
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Joy – a fruit of the spirit. No matter our circumstances, we can have joy because of what God has done for us and we can trust Him because He is good. These two passages just go together in my mind.