13 February 2022

Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.

From Jeremiah 17:5-8, NRSV

The prophet Jeremiah makes a distinction between those who place all their trust in God – they are “blessed”,  and those who place their trust in men – they are “cursed”. Their blessing or curse is not something done to them but comes with the choice that they make. Jeremiah compares those who are cursed to a shrub in the desert and those who are blessed to a tree planted near water. The first image is one of dryness and unfruitfulness whilst the second speaks of life and growth. The reality for most of us is probably that we live our lives somewhere between these two absolutes. We do need to place some trust in the people amongst who we are placed but perhaps Jeremiah is warning us against seeing ourselves as “in charge” and allowing our thoughts and actions to be determined by the values of this world rather than by the values of God’s kingdom.

• • What can help us to choose blessing rather than curse?
  • What characterises those who trust in the Lord?

Reflect on the “dry” or “lifeless” experiences in your life and on what you might be called to do about these.