Thought for Today
Psalm 31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."
Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
Hebrews 2:11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given me."
This morning, once again my thoughts have turned toward the subject of trust. But, for me, trust is not a simple matter. And, how can I separate the ideas of trust and faith? I believe the 2 are inseparable.
Every time I share my Thoughts with you, I close with the admonition to trust God. I do; and, I believe we are all absolutely reliant upon our trust in God. Christians and Jews alike echo the words of the psalmist, “121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
As a Christian, however, there are other Bible verses I must take into consideration. I believe the author of Hebrews best defined faith, “11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I am a Christian. Where do I find that assurance and conviction? The psalmist tells me, “from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
How do I know, how am I assured of that help, of that assurance and conviction? I find my assurance in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” I believe those words.
Then, I watch the television news. I read the newspapers. I look at the world all around me. I find myself echoing the words of that distraught father, "Mark 9:24 I believe; help my unbelief!" And, I echo the prayer of that tax collector in Luke, “18:13 ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'”
How do I reconcile the love of God, God’s omnipotence and the world all around me? How do I understand our world, my own ‘unbelief’ against the love of God? Some of the answer to all the conundrum presents itself during Lent. Our journey during Lent, leading to the glorious affirmation of the Empty Tomb on Easter morning, helps me put it all into perspective.
At several times during my own life, I have made public confessions of my faith, my own personal “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I did so as a teen, answering an altar call in my church. Later, I do so as a husband during our wedding vows. Even later, as Greta and I presented our children for baptism. Some time after that, I again confirmed my faith when I was ordained as a Presbyterian Ruling Elder. Ultimately, I reaffirmed my faith in my ordination as a Presbyterian Teaching Elder, a Minister of Word and Sacrament.
Each affirmation, however, demonstrated both trust and faith. The truth is, I have never seen Jesus, in the flesh, face to face. Neither have I ever seen God face to face. Unlike Paul, I have not had a ‘Road to Damascus’ epiphany. The encounters I have experienced on roadways have been of an entirely different nature.
Today, and in the days to come leading up to Easter morning, I will continue in that dynamic tension of faith, belief and unbelief. I will continue to live in this present world, fully conscious of both the good and the bad. Fully conscious of my own faith, belief and trust in Jesus and in God. I am comfortable in my own “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” because I know God’s affirmation of Jesus demonstrated in the Empty Tomb.
I am confident that “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth,” because of the Empty Tomb and because I have seen God’s help manifested in the changes faith in God has brought about in my own life and in the lives of my family of faith. I know that I can assuredly and confidently close as I always do, with:
Stay safe, look to the Lord who made heaven and earth, trust God,
Pastor Ray