Trust

Some people like to trust the tangible—things they can see and touch, such as a strong showing of the Dow, a large and equipped military, a secure retirement, or their party running the government. Some trust in well-built, fortified chariots pulled by strong, speedy horses.

In the psalms, King David wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses….” It’s easy to get caught up in false security, isn’t it? Allowing careers to give us identity. Allowing retirement plans to give us security. Allowing investments to make us feel good about the future. Allowing where we live or what we drive to make us feel significant. Allowing our “chariots” and “horses” to make us feel safe and protected. For the believer, though, things must be different.

Have you ever considered God to be as distant as the stars he created? Have you ever felt God to be a stern disciplinarian ready to punish you when you say something you shouldn’t say or do something you shouldn’t do? If you believe God is out of reach, then reconsider the Person named Jesus.

Do you ever wonder why the person who cuts corners gets the promotion? Why one with no scruples lands the deal? Why do the promiscuous ones get the engagement ring? Why do the wicked ones prosper? The psalmist wondered the same thing.

Ancient armies had two types of shields. A large shield was carried in one hand for full body protection. An army could huddle together and raise these shields over their heads as a defensive barrier when fiery arrows were falling from the sky. The shield carried in the other hand was smaller and used for hand-to-hand combat or personal safety when rocks were hurled from the top of city walls. For the believer, God is our shield.

It was difficult for her to grasp, much less believe. When you are well along in years and have no children, it is surprising for God to show up and promise you a son. So, when the woman who heard from God shared the news with her husband, he needed more proof. God revealed himself to Manoah in the form of an angel.

Worry, anxiety, fear—have you ever experienced those emotions? No doubt you have. Even the strongest believer has been riddled with fear. But thankfully, for those who follow Jesus, these emotions are “drive-bys,” not destinations. We need not live with anxiety, worry, or fear because we serve God Most High.

In the first chapter of the Bible, Elohim, the powerful and sovereign God, created the heavens and the earth. In Genesis 2, God became personal. Along with the name that describes his power, God added his personal name—Yahweh. The LORD God (Yahweh Elohim) stooped down and breathed into Adam the breath of life, making him a living being.

I grew up believing that I could lose my relationship with God. I could be a child of God in the morning, sin at lunch, and be kicked out of his family by the afternoon. I walked on spiritual eggshells. Insecurity characterized my spiritual walk. Sometimes, I was certain of heaven; other times, following an act of sin, I was on my way to hell.