Life-giving waters

Chaplain Jimmy Hatter

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,   

with roots that reach deep into the water                                        .
   Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
   Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.” 

When I was younger I spent some time working in the National Park System; which may be a reason this scripture resonates with me.  My “happy place” has always been on a hiking trail alongside a stream in the woods.  Jeremiah reminds us that God has blessed us with the capacity to find peace when we are rooted into His life giving waters- transcending our physical location.   Furthermore, we may continue to bless others by producing fruit that glorifies God and sustains us with hope and joy.