Blessed Is the One Who Trusts in the Lord

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They 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

The person who trusts in God has deep roots.

Their confidence is in the Lord.

They are like a tree planted by the water.

It sends out its roots by the stream.

Because it is connected to its source, it doesn't worry about what to do when the heat comes. 

It drinks freely of the water so its leaves are always green.

It doesn't worry when a year of drought comes along.

And it continues to bear fruit.

We Do Not Fear

They 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  

Those who trust in the Lord are like a tree planted by the water.

It does not fear the heat.

I have no need to fear since God is with me.

It's leaves are always green.

God keeps me nourished so I can grow in Him.

It has no worries in a year without rain.

I don't need to worry since God will guide and direct me, even when things look bleak.

It never fails to bear fruit.

I can keep sharing the love of God with others.

Finish What You Started

So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands. This isn’t so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you’re shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even. — 2 Corinthians 8:21 The Message

It's not always easy to finish what we've started.

But in Paul's letter he is encouraging us to do that so our intentions don't grow stale.

And he even encourages us and reminds us that we have what it takes.

God wants us to work shoulder to shoulder with others.

In that way we compliment each other.

My strengths match up with your weaknesses and your strengths cover mine.

Proclaim Good News

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” — Luke 4: 17-19

Isaiah wrote long ago that the Spirit of the Lord would be on Jesus.

God's Son was sent to proclaim good news to the poor and the poor in heart.

To proclaim freedom of the prisoners and for those of us living in darkness.

To give sight to the blind.

To proclaim the year of the Lord God's favor.

We know that God will guide us through the new year.

The Peaceful Kingdom

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. — Isaiah 11:6

In this new year of 2020, we are thanking God for His promises.

We look forward to the time when God's peaceable kingdom will come to fruition.

The wolf will dwell with the lamb.

The leopard will lie down with the kid.

The calf, the lion and the fatling together.

And a little child will lead them.

While people often are unable to keep their promises, God always keeps His promises.

He never failed me yet.

Thank you, Lord, for the new year!