July 17 Thought for Today – “Trust” “They cried out to God during the battle, and He answered their prayer because they trusted in Him.” 1 Chronicles 5:20 Trust – or the lack of it – makes all the difference in any relationship. The dictionary defines trust as “the reliance on and confidence in the truth, worth, reliability, integrity, and/or character of a person or thing.” The lack of trust is a tough obstacle in any close relationship, for trust is the foundation on which any enduring relationship can be built. I, as were many in my unit, was married while serving a tour of duty overseas. Once we were talking together about our wives and that they were in control of/responsible for our assets while we were away from home. I was surprised at the lack of trust several expressed concerning their wife and money. One said he’d put all his assets into a secret account, and his wife knew nothing about them. She simply received her monthly military spousal allowance. Why? Because he said he couldn’t trust her with money. Another said he’d left everything in his wife’s care, and in a very short time she had spent it all. I had no such fears with how Ruth was handling our money, for I had full reliance on her integrity and abilities. In fact, when I returned stateside not only was everything intact, but she had added to it. That’s the kind of trust one should have in a marriage, and the way we should trust God, His promises, and His care for us. Psychologists tell us there are five elements in building trust. Each of these is present in God’s dealings with man. 1. Do what you say. Everything God has said He would do, He either has or it will happen in the future. God said He would send a redeemer, the Messiah, to rescue men from our sins (Isaiah 9), and He did. 2. Tell the truth. Though not all of the Bible’s prophecies have been fulfilled, all that have already occurred have been proven accurate in every detail. 3. Be Open. Second after the promise and coming of Jesus, nothing could be more crucial to mankind than the fact we will die, and eternity follows our physical death. God has made it very clear that unredeemed sinners will spend eternity in hell, but those who receive Jesus as their Savior and make Him Lord of their lives will spend eternity in heaven. God has held nothing back in revealing that and other truths. 4. Keep confidences. While very few humans can keep a secret for very long, our secret prayers to the Lord are heard by Him alone, and not revealed to others. With God alone can we totally share our innermost thoughts, knowing that He cares, understands, and will give us guidance through His word and the Holy Spirit. 5. Show your integrity. In Numbers 23:19 Balaam told Balak, “ “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” In no way has it ever been found or proven that God has lied or lacked integrity. When it comes to the Lord, trust is critical. We build that trust first of all by having a relationship with Him. Then, as the years roll by, experience will only substantiate what we hoped for in the beginning. Several Scriptures to keep in mind concerning trusting God include these: • 2 Samuel 22:31 – “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” • 2 Samuel 22:3 – “The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.” • 1 Timothy 4:10 – “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” And finally… “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. “ Proverbs 3:5-6 Selah! copsonthestreet
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 11:37:40 +0000
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