How does Jeremiah 17:5 challenge your current reliance on human resources? Text of Jeremiah 17:5 “This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart away from the LORD.’” Key Ideas Packed into the Verse • Cursed – not merely unlucky, but under divine judgment. • Trusts in man – leaning, depending, resting confidence on human ability or ingenuity. • Makes flesh his strength – elevates created, limited resources to the place of ultimate security. • Turns his heart away from the LORD – the inevitable by-product of misplaced trust; devotion migrates to whatever we treat as savior. Why Human Reliance Is Deficient • Limited Perspective: “The LORD knows the thoughts of man; they are but a breath” (Psalm 94:11). • Moral Weakness: “Put no trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save” (Psalm 146:3). • Fragile Resources: “Do not wear yourself out to become rich; cease your own understanding” (Proverbs 23:4). • Divine Jealousy: God reserves the role of Deliverer for Himself (Isaiah 42:8). Everyday Indicators We May Be “Making Flesh Our Strength” • Financial safety nets feel more reassuring than God’s promises. • First instinct in crisis is a search engine, not Scripture. • Networking outpaces prayer when doors need opening. • Medical breakthroughs inspire more awe than the Healer who gives knowledge. • Political outcomes dictate peace or panic in our hearts. Scripture’s Repeated Warning and Invitation • Psalm 118:8-9 – “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.” • Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust wholeheartedly in the LORD; He will make paths straight. • Isaiah 31:1 – Woe to those who rely on horses and chariots but do not look to the Holy One. • 2 Chronicles 16:12 – King Asa sought physicians, not the LORD, and suffered. • Jeremiah 17:7 – The blessed contrast: trusting the LORD makes one “like a tree planted by the waters.” Redirecting Trust Toward the Lord • Confess specific areas where human props eclipse God. • Deliberately thank God for every human resource while acknowledging He alone sustains. • Replace frantic planning with prayerful planning—same action, new dependence. • Anchor daily reading in promises such as Romans 8:32 to recalibrate security. • Celebrate answered prayer publicly; it trains the heart to see God, not coincidence, as Deliverer. Encouragement for Daily Application You are not told to abandon every tool, savings account, doctor, or mentor. You are warned against enthroning them. Let each resource become an instrument God wields, never a substitute god you serve. Trust in the Lord is not Plan B when man fails; it is Plan A that invites every lesser aid to take its rightful, secondary place. |
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