City Of Light Anglican Churchaurora, Illinois

JULY 5: A Fruitful Tree in the Desert (17:1-13) “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.” SUMMARY: Even in spiritually arid conditions, the people of God can bear fruit by sending their roots down into the underground streams of God’s vitalizing presence. We can thrive in exile, whether due to quarantine, personal rejection or cultural resistance to the Gospel. DISCUSSION: What are the key differences between the person described in verses 5-6 and the person described in verses 7-8? What is the source of each person’s strength and how do they access it? Where are those decisions leading them? What are the challenges in your life right now that undermine a life of fulfillment and fruitfulness in the Lord? What are ways that you can ground yourself more deeply and sustainably in your life with God? What fruit do hope this kind of rootedness will bear in your own life and your life with others?