Trust Me!
If a stranger asked you to follow him into the woods, what would you do? Run? Call the police? Both? On the other hand, if a trusted friend asked you to do the same, would you? Perhaps. Why the difference? I know and trust my friend. My trust in him is fueled by my first-hand knowledge of his trustworthiness, which has been proven over time. My friend would never do anything to harm me, and if he asks something strange of me, it was for good reason. What is true of a trusted friendship, is also true in our relationship with God. However, I have found that trust in God is fueled by two factors: immersion in Scripture, and first-hand experience of His faithfulness in my life.
Since Jesus is no longer on earth, my main way to know Him is through Scripture. I have also found that I needed more than just “a scripture and day to keep the devil away”. I needed all of Him that He was willing to give me. Since God has revealed Himself in Scripture, infused it with His holy breath, why would I shrug and walk away from these holy words of life? Why would I walk away from God’s extended hand of intimate friendship, though it cost me all I have?
I needed full immersion in Scripture, for that was true life and the breath of God. In Scripture I learned that this one with Whom I talk in the quiet recesses of my soul is the One Who formed the earth and the world. He is more than able to handle whatever problems are weighing me down today. After all, He is the same God Who decimated Egypt with plagues, brought His people out of bondage, protected and provided for them through the centuries. He placed His message in the mouths of weathered sages and foretold His coming upon the prophets’ sacred scrolls. He became flesh and dwelt among us to pay in full the debt we could not pay. He came to reconcile the eternal debt against us with His human, yet holy blood, thus redeeming us for His own.
When I read the stories in Scripture of God’s faithfulness and miraculous intervention for His people it is inspiring. It is heartening to hear a friend relay their story of God showing up for them in a season of personal crisis. It becomes an entirely different ballgame when He shows up for me through a well-timed sermon that directly addresses a weighty issue He and I just discussed in prayer. When I have turned to prayer rather than worry in the wee hours of a sleepless night and known His presence there, or when He shows up for me with peace and reassurance in the triage bay in the ER, that is a game-changer. That first-hand knowledge and experience fuels my ability to trust Him further—again and again. My experience with Him begins to build a track record, and my confidence in Him continually grows. Trusting Him becomes less of a terrifying leap in the dark, and more like jumping into the arms of our all-powerful and trusted Friend.
His word becomes my life breath. My experience of His faithfulness day after day knits my soul to Him in wholehearted devotion and I declare along with the prophet:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:22-26