When we follow God, He makes us to flourish.

跟随上帝就能得着丰盛的生命。

They will be like a tree planted by the water . . . its leaves are always green. Jeremiah 17:8

他必像树栽于水旁，……叶子仍必青翠。-耶利米书17章8节

When friends moved into a new home, they planted wisteria near their fence and looked forward to the lavender blossom that would appear after five years of growth. Over two decades they enjoyed this plant, carefully pruning and tending it. But suddenly the wisteria died, for their neighbors had poured some weed killer by the other side of the fence. The poison seeped into the wisteria’s roots and the tree perished—or so my friends thought. To their surprise, the following year some shoots came through the ground.

当朋友搬进新家时，他们在篱笆边上种了一棵紫藤，并期待五年后能开出淡紫色的花。二十年来，他们很喜爱这棵紫藤，经常细心地修剪照顾。但他们的邻居在篱笆的另一边倒了一些除草剂，那棵紫藤突然就死了。我朋友认为，毒素渗入紫藤的根，导致树木枯死。然而出乎他们意料之外，第二年在那棵紫藤枯死的地方，竟然有新的枝桠从地里冒出来。

We see the image of trees flourishing and perishing when the prophet Jeremiah relates them to God’s people who either trust in the Lord or ignore His ways. Those who follow God will send their roots into soil near water and will bear fruit (Jer. 17:8), but those who follow their own hearts will be like a bush in the desert (vv. 5–6). The prophet yearns that God’s people would rely on the true and living God, that they would be “a tree planted by the water” (v. 8).

先知耶利米将相信上帝和离弃上帝的人，比拟为树木的繁茂和毁坏。那些跟随上帝的人像树在河边扎根，并结出果实（耶利米书17章8节），但是那些随心所欲的人，就像沙漠的杜松（5-6节）。耶利米渴望上帝的子民能倚靠又真又活的上帝，盼望他们能像一棵树栽于水旁（8节）。

We know the “Father is the gardener” (John 15:1) and that in Him we can trust and have confidence (Jer. 17:7). May we follow Him with our whole heart as we bear fruit that lasts.

 我们知道，天父“是栽培的人”（约翰福音15章1节） ，我们可以相信并倚靠祂（耶利米书17章7节）。愿我们全心跟随祂，结出常存的果子。

Loving Lord, I want to follow You completely, whether in times of drought or abundance. Help me turn to You for help and hope.

慈爱的上帝，无论是在缺乏，
或是富裕的景况中，我都要完全跟随祢。
求祢帮助我，向祢寻求帮助和希望。

Jeremiah 17:5-8New International Version (NIV)

5 This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
    in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends 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.”

耶利米书 17:5-8Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

弃主赖人者受祸

5 耶和华如此说：“倚靠人血肉的膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人有祸了！ 6 因他必像沙漠的杜松，不见福乐来到，却要住旷野干旱之处，无人居住的碱地。

倚恃耶和华者得福

7 “倚靠耶和华，以耶和华为可靠的，那人有福了！ 8 他必像树栽于水旁，在河边扎根。炎热来到并不惧怕，叶子仍必青翠；在干旱之年毫无挂虑，而且结果不止。

整理：于姊妹