Day
24
Returning to the Spring
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the waters, sending 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
Scripture
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the waters, sending 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
Reflection
Restoration begins with repentance. The cistern that was once clogged, poisoned and barely able to contain Living water begins changing when we turn back to the Lord. Over these past weeks we’ve examined many of the things that clog, crack, poison, divide, harden, or drain the cistern: our fear, pride, shame, striving, bitterness, distraction, false sources, and divided hearts. Repentance does not end with us staring at the damage and exposed before God.
In love the Lord leads us to His truth about His ways. Repentance is meant to bring us back to the source of Living Water so that we can be filled and overflow outward. This overflow as it saturates the ground enables something amazing to happen. The landscape changes. Jeremiah paints a beautiful picture of what happens when a life becomes filled to overflowing. Living Water is constantly flowing. Trees can begin to grow. They become rooted and strong when they are constantly being supplied with water.
“He will be like a tree planted by the waters…”
Notice the imagery carefully. This tree has been planted next to the source. The tree survives because its life is no longer dependent upon: circumstances, emotional highs or lows, external conditions, and human approval. Its roots have found the source of nurishment and have buried down deep attaching themselves so that they cannot be moved. The leaves on the tree remain green, fruit continues to grow, drought does not destroy it and heat does not consume it.
Not because these situations don't exist for them but because the source overflowing remains steady. Repentance is ultimately creating this overflow and this enables the tree to develop a deep root system. Growth comes with connection and staying connected.
This is the moment where the cistern is restored and able to fill-up and overflow. It is no longer anxiously striving to create water or trying to survive on broken sources. This is a cistern remaining connected and flowing outward. And this is where something beautiful begins emerging, we find rest, rootedness, abiding, receiving, healing, nearness, fruitfulness, peace and the love of God.
The Christian life was never meant to be sustained through constant striving and self-effort. It was meant to flow from abiding. From remaining with Him. This is why the tree in Jeremiah does not panic during drought. Its roots go deeper than the circumstances.
This is what God has been doing through this entire journey; slowly leading you back to restoration. Building you up so that you too can overflow and be planted by Streams of Living Water. Back toward, rest instead of exhaustion, trust instead of fear, nearness instead of hiding, and abiding instead of striving.
Because flourishing begins when the soul finally stops trying to survive disconnected from the Source. And maybe for the first time in a long time, your heart is beginning to realize:
you do not have to be afraid to return to the Lord who already knows all that you need so that you can thrive.
Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for not leaving me disconnected from You.
Thank You for patiently uncovering the things that have blocked, clouded, or drained the flow of living water within my heart.
And thank You that repentance is not merely about exposing brokenness…
It is about returning to You.
Reconnect my heart fully to the spring again.
Teach me how to remain rooted in Your presence instead of constantly striving to sustain myself.
Help my soul learn how to rest, receive, abide, and trust You more deeply.
And as my roots grow deeper in You, let healing, peace, fruitfulness, and overflow begin growing naturally from that connection.
Keep drawing me nearer to You.
In Jesus Name I pray
Amen.
Reflection Questions
What areas of your life feel most in need of deeper rootedness in God right now?
How would your life begin changing if you truly believed you did not have to manufacture water yourself?
What does remaining connected to the “spring” practically look like in your daily life?
In what ways do you sense God inviting you into more rest, receiving, abiding, or trust?
What kinds of fruit or healing do you long to see begin growing as your roots deepen in Him?