THE FOLLY OF FALSE FOUNDATIONS
Some people place their trust in money. Paul wrote, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). Why are riches “uncertain”? Because billionaires are one stock market crash away from being broke. Money can buy a bed of gold, but only God can give us rest. Money can buy the best physicians, but only God can give us health.
Some people place their trust in education. Education without God only produces intellectual barbarians. Hitler’s Nazis were well educated, and yet they threw Jewish children alive into the blazing ovens of Auschwitz. They had obtained scholarly degrees, but they were educated heathens with hearts of stone. Public schools in America have thrown the Bible out the back door and brought condoms in the front. Without much imagination, we can see where public schools are heading. Without God, they produce human beings with little moral fortitude.
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY
When life gets tough, we need to trust someone. “In You, O LORD, I put my trust,” David says (v. 1). When we are going through one of life’s storms, the Great Physician has a prescription – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Prov. 3:5).
He knows the burdens we carry and the tears we shed. He suffered a broken heart and even had a dear friend betray Him. He is the Healer of broken hearts, broken dreams, and broken lives. Trust Him. He never fails. Trust must be complete or it is not trust. A farmer went to the county fair and saw a sign that read “Airplane rides for $50.” He told the pilot the price was too high. The pilot said, “I’ll make you a deal. If you trust me enough to ride without screaming, the ride is free. If you scream, you pay double.” The farmer agreed to the deal. The pilot took off and took the plane through a series of aerobatic maneuvers. After the plane landed, the pilot said to the farmer, “I’m amazed; you didn’t scream once.” The farmer replied, “I almost screamed on the barrel roll when my wife fell out.”
God asks but one thing of man-that man should trust Him. He does not ask that man understand Him or explain Him or vindicate Him, just that man trust Hum. I love the song that simply says to “trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.”
THE DESTRUCTIVE RESULT OF UNBELIEF
The opposite of trust is unbelief. What does God think of people who will not trust Him? “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). Unbelief releases fear, doubt, and suspicion. Unbelief binds the hands of God and releases the demons of hell.
The woman who doubts her husband’s love and loyalty does not sing for joy. Her face is haggard, her heart is broken, and her eyes are flooded with tears. That’s emotional. The person filled with self-doubt is not a picture of joy. He is withdrawn, fearful of other people, angry, and seething with resentment. That’s emotional.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BUILDS TRUST
Trust is not emotional. It is based on knowledge. We know that God is faithful, and trust is born in faithfulness. When David was facing great trials, he remembered the faithfulness of God in times past (v. 15). When the lion roared against David’s sheep, God came. When the bear appeared, God came through. When Goliath mocked Israel, God gave David victory. When Saul tried to murder him, God saved him. So, when Absalom was trying to destroy him, David knew that God is faithful and would come through again.
THE FAITHFUL LOVE OF GOD
A pesky old dog lived next door to Charles H. Spurgeon. This dog always got into his flower beds. One day Spurgeon saw the dog in his flowers, and he threw a stick at him to scare him away. But the silly dog retrieved the stick and, with his tail wagging, brought the stick back to Spurgeon. The dog was in complete surrender. Spurgeon said, “What could I do but love the rascal?”
When we surrender to God, putting our trust in Him, He will love us back too. No matter what our crisis, what our crime, what our sin, or what our heartache,
if we put our trust in Him, the heart of God will melt.
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS BASED ON TRUST.
We are saved by trusting in Jesus. We are healed by trusting in His Word. We are delivered by trusting in the power of His name. We are forgiven by trusting in the power of His blood. We have hope for the future because we trust He is all-powerful and sovereign.
When we are facing a crisis, we need to remember how many times God has come through for us. God is faithful. He paid our sin debt at Calvary. He conquered death in the grave. And He is coming again with power and great glory.
