Day 219: What Do You See? (Jeremiah 1:11-12)

“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see an almond branch.’

Jeremiah 1:11–12 (ESV)

Through the Bible: Jeremiah 1-3

God speaks through visions. But sometimes, He speaks through puns.

When God called the prophet Jeremiah, He didn’t just give him marching orders—He gave him images. And the first vision was simple: a branch of an almond tree.

At first glance, this seems… random. What could an almond branch possibly have to do with prophecy, judgment, or the Word of the Lord? But with God, nothing is random. Every word counts. Every image carries weight. And in this case, it carries a pun.

The Almond and the Watcher

In Hebrew, the word for almond is shaqed (שָׁקֵד), and the word for watching is shoqed (שֹׁקֵד). God is using a play on words to make a prophetic point: “You see an almond branch—well done. That’s because I am watching over my word to perform it.”

The almond tree was also significant in ancient Israel. It was known as the first tree to bloom after winter, sometimes even before spring officially began. It was a symbol of readiness, of awakening, of something just about to happen.

So when Jeremiah sees the almond branch, God is essentially saying: “I’m not sleeping. I’m not slow. I’m alert. I’m awake. Just like this almond tree blossoms early, My word is already budding. It will bear fruit—and soon.”

The Word That Doesn’t Wait

Jeremiah would spend much of his life preaching a message no one wanted to hear: that judgment was coming. The nation of Judah was steeped in idolatry, injustice, and spiritual decay. And although God had been patient for generations, time was running out.

The almond branch was God’s way of saying to Jeremiah: “I know this message will be hard to speak. But trust Me— I will do what I say I will do.”

It was a promise of fulfillment.

A warning against complacency.

And a comfort to the prophet whose voice would often be ignored, resisted, and persecuted.

What Do You See?

God still asks that question today:

“What do you see?”

Do you see delays, silence, unanswered prayers, or forgotten promises?

Or do you see the early blossoms of a God who is always watching over His word?

Sometimes, like Jeremiah, we need a fresh vision—not of something new, but of something true.

That God is vigilant. He is alert. He is active.

He is not slow in keeping His promises (2 Peter 3:9).

He is not distant from our cries (Psalm 34:18).

He is not ignoring His Word. He’s watching over it to perform it.

So take heart.

Even when you don’t see the fruit yet—look again.

You might just see the almond branch.

You might just be closer than you thought to the moment when God moves.

Not because you forced it. Not because you earned it.

But because He is faithful.

And He is watching.

Just like He promised.

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