Blessing

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust IS the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8 ESV, emphasis mine).​

Recently in our SGC discussions, as well as in my personal devotion time, I have been led to consider what “blessing” is, and how we define “blessing”. The truth is, for many of us, when we think “blessing” we immediately think “comfy life, blissful relationships, no lack”. Right? ​

But when I look at these scriptures, I realized that the man described here is blessed with a spiritual security, not a physical one. He is NOT shielded by some supernatural orb; he is NOT planted in some protected garden. He faces the harsh elements just like anyone else. In fact, the verses seem to suggest that it is a certainty that the “heat WILL COME” (it is not a matter of “if”, but “when”)!​

So why then do we so easily equate “blessings” to cushy creature comforts? Has the world really warped our Christian understanding of what true blessing is, to the point where we have totally missed the point?​

Here’s where my reflections have led me to: ​

  • True blessing is… the confidence and security I have in being known by the Almighty God. Not only known, but prized and well-loved. (And yes, that IS worth pausing for a moment to give thanks over.) ​
  • True blessing is… the sweetness of that intimate journey, walking with Christ.​
  • I can face all of life’s challenges, trials and pains when I am able to internalize my standing with the Most High Lord, and my position as His adopted son/ daughter (Ephesians 1:5).​​

Actually, there IS an element of creature comforts in there. Check out the tree in Jeremiah 17:8. The tree is already planted by the water, which in my opinion is obviously far better placed than the shrub in the parched desert! It makes me think about the fact that God planted me in peaceful Singapore, rather than in some war-torn country elsewhere in the world. Or that I happen to be planted in a Christian family, and that gave me the opportunity to hear of God’s redemptive story for mankind from such a young age. There is always something to thank God for. ​​

So, while we may lament and resent the many burdens of life that we bear (and wonder where the blessing in all this lies), I challenge all of us to reframe our thinking about what blessing means to you, and how our roots can stretch all the more, deeper still, to tap into the Living Water that we all so desperately need.​​

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!”– Psalms 34:8 NLT​

By sister Cheryl Yap​

View more