Trust

Good afternoon, readers.

I hope that your week is starting out on a good note. Mine, so far, has been good. One of the constancy's of being a pastor is the constant state of busyness. There is always something going on, some opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and some opportunity to bring the comfort of forgiveness of sins to a needy member. Part of what I need as a pastor in order to care for the congregation is, "Trust." They need to know me and my habits and my behaviors and my thoughts so that they'll know what I'll say when they need God's representative. They can trust me to bring them comfort when down, counsel when struggling, and the Word of God to encourage and uplift their faith. And more than me, they can trust God and His ways.

In my messages to you and the congregation, the readings I will use will focus on the theme of, "Trust." In Proverbs 3:5, God says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding." These are great words of God. Trust in God, because He proves Himself trustworthy time and time again. There is an episode in the Bible about Abraham and his son Isaac. Isaac was the son that God promised to Abraham and Sarah. Both of them were very old and did not have any children. God told Abraham that he was have a son, and that Abraham would be the father of many nations. God proved himself trustworthy by breaking through the barreness of Sarah and allowing her to conceive Isaac. Abraham believed in God and believed that God would provide for him. Then God did something a little weird. God asked Abraham to take Isaac and to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God. I can't imagine the thoughts and feelings that Abraham experienced. Yet through it all, Abraham trusted that God would do the right thing.

Trust like that was super-human. No one could do what Abraham did. Most of us, if not all, would run from that requirement. Probably all of us wouldn't be able to go through with it. I think what kept Abraham on task is, God is trustworthy in fulfilling His promises. Abraham could have thought, "God promised me Isaac. He promised me that I would be the father of many nations. Isaac is a miracle son. God will not allow Isaac to be sacrificed. So I will do what God says. I will trust Him with my son's life." God didn't stop Abraham until the very last moment. Abraham puts his son's life in the hands of God. And God again did what was right.

Trust like that is super-human. And it is that trust we have too. We who believe in God, trust in God. Faith trusts God with everything that it has. Faith that we have, trusts God. Temptations are out there not to trust God. Temptations are those things as James writes, "But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires." (James 1:14). Temptations seem so clear and alluring and enticing. We also see God's way that He laid out for us. But it seems a little fuzzy, like an out of focus photo. The reason that God's way seems fuzzy is not because of God but because our sinful nature clouds the way of God and Satan doesn't want us to see God's way. Yet the faithful person doesn't lean on his or her thoughts, reason, emotions, and experiences for guidance. The faithful person relies on the faith and trust in God for the right thing and the right way to go. The faithful person uses his or her thoughts, reason, emotions, and experiences as tools to follow God's way. Trust in God is super-human. Trust in God is doable. Trust in God follows faith. Trust in God believes and knows that God will do what He says and said He will do.

Have a great trusting week in God.