Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Jeremiah 17:8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

The tree planted in the world will have seasons when it prospers but in the dry season it will wither.

The tree that plants roots in the water will draw from the hidden water when the river bed dries up.

John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Living waters never dry up.

1 Corinthians 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This question may be fresh on the mind of some, or if like me, some will have to dig deep into our past.

What were you hoping for when you placed your faith in Christ?

When I was a teen God showed me His sovereign side, taking unjustified anger from my heart. I did not place my faith in Christ until years later when I admitted I was ashamed of the man that I had become since that first encounter. I was hoping for the shame to go away.

It did but the memory of those days did not just mysteriously disappear. What I did was to immerse myself in the Word.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes ….

What I did not know then was that the Word was working on me through the immersion process.

As I read more and more about God’s mercy and grace, hope sprang up when I discovered the promises of God that I had not yet experienced.

Awareness of His abiding love came later.

I do not expect an answer but I hope everyone will experience the gratitude I am feeling in becoming a new creation in Christ.

Thank you Father God.