Trust Me
These are two very loaded words. Trust is not something we do easily. And in this world of identity theft, on and offline scams trust can be a dangerous thing to give.
In the days of youth group past I have participated several trust exercises. One is the trust walk where one person is blindfolded and walks around while a partner gives verbal guidance as you walk through an obstacle course. And this usually ends in disaster because there I always some Smart Alec, who has just enough of a warped since of humor to think it is funny to lead their partner into obstacles instead of around them. Then there is the trust fall. The youth stand on the edge of a table and falls backwards into the arms of the rest of the group which is prepared to catch you. At least in this one, the adults are there to make sure that everyone is caught and safe. However for the youth falling backward off the edge of the table, it is truly a leap of faith.
Trust is always risky. We live in a world of lies and broken relationships. It is filled with people ready to abuse our trust. We password our email accounts and we encrypt our banking and credit card information and still hackers break even the most varied and hard to remember passwords we can devise. Just this past week my wife’s AOL email was hacked sending out a plea for money to all her contacts saying that she was stuck in the Philippines and in desperate need of money, (and then erased all the contacts from her account so she could not send out a I’m fine and still in the USA message)
So who is worthy of our trust? Well that depends on our relationship with the person in question. Trust in our sinful world must be earned. And the greater the trust the greater the relationship bonds between the people.
When we are born we have no choice but to trust our parents. They provide for all our needs. Well, at least that is the way it is for most children not all. Sin can even break the trust of parent and child.
However, for most people there are those whom we can reliably place our trust. Family members, friends, spouses, doctors, police and teachers usually prove themselves to be trust worthy. In each and every case the trust is based on the current or past relationship we have with each person. And in some cases we can be disappointed. And when we are the relationship that we had is weakened or destroyed.
As parents we do our best to trust our children. But we know that they will test and bend that trust. And when they disappoint, we teach them how to earn back our trust.
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honour;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
I which everyone’s trust in God was as strong as David’s when he wrote psalm 62. Verses 5,6,and 7 spell out the relational ties between God and David. God is His Hope. God is his Salvation, his rock, refuge and fortress. This is a relationship has been forged over a lifetime of faith. He trusted God to use him to deliver the Israelites from Goliath. And he continues to trust him. Even though his own sin came between them, God remained faithful and steadfast in the midst of David’s sin. In all things and all ways God remains trust worthy.
So do we trust God? I mean really trust God? Yes? Then it should show in our lives. People who earn our trust also earn our time, and devotion. Relationships that inspire trust are the ones in which we spend time, effort and money. So that can be a quick test. So let’s take a look at each of these questions separately.
Do you spend time with God? Sure worship is good, but to really trust God we need to do better than an hour a week. Do we spend time in His Word? Do we pray? Do we walk daily with the Lord? Or do we just stop by when it is convenient? Are you close enough to Trust God?
Trust requires effort. Yes work! Does the light of Christ reflect through your daily work? Do you faithfully accomplish the ministry God has given you the skills to do? That’s right God gives everyone a ministry and while each ministry is unique, God gives each of us gifts or skills to “Get er done!” The truth is many people expect BIG blessings from God, knowing that He can expect little or nothing from them.
Finally, and this is the one most people squirm with, Do you spend Money on God? Do you tithe? Oh just in case you didn’t know, Biblically, a tithe 10% of our income and time is not a goal to aspire to but rather a minimum requirement. Relationships strong enough to inspire trust also require cash! But the thing of it is that when a relationship is strong we don’t mind spending it! We hand our kid’s our last dollar for lunch knowing we will have to skip lunch ourselves to do so.
Follow the money! You want to know what a person loves look at where they spend their money. This is a constant of human existence. You can tell exactly what is important to anyone by following the money. Do you trust God? If so your wallet would show it. We pay for everything we hold dear in life. Without hesitation, we pay for and even go into debt for the people and things we love. Not only do we pay but we pay sacrificially. We may not want to but we know that the relationships closest to us are worth any financial sacrifice. In the face of loosing such relationships, we openly tell the ones we love it’s only money.
Want a quick Do I trust God litmus test? Look in the ledger of your checkbook.
Loving, trusting relationships are the key to any and all happiness in life. 9 Those of low estate are but a breath,
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no confidence in extortion,
and set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
Human relationships fail because whether we wish it or not, in death we do part. Only our relationship with God through Christ endures into eternity. God is faithful and worthy of our trust. He will not fail us. He already did his part, he suffered and died for our sins. The question this morning is not if He is worthy of our trust, but rather is our personal relationship with Him, worthy of His Trust? 11 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
according to their work.
It’s never too late to build that type of trusting relationship. God is passionately calling for and waiting for us to truly trust Him. To return the love that he show us each and every day. A relationship taken for granted is doomed to failure. But relationships that are alive bring Joy, Pease and Love! Trust Me! Amen.
