Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 5:18-26; 1 Chronicles 6:3b, 49, 4-15; 1 Chronicles 7:1 through 1 Chronicles 8:28
How important is trust to you?
Did you grow up trusting your parents, siblings, teachers, community leaders, etc.?
Or does it seem that you were born with a trust problem?
Our trust issues with authority figures can affect our ability to trust God.
In 1 Chronicles 5:20, God interrupted His genealogies to comment on military matters and help us to understand the power of trust.
They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer
because they trusted in him. So the Hagrites and all their allies were defeated.
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He answered their prayer because they trusted in Him.
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Our Heavenly Father’s heart is touched when His children trust Him…
- Circumstances change because we trust him
- People come to know Jesus because we trust Him
- The sick are healed because we trust Him
- His will for our lives is made clear because we trust Him
- Finances improve because we trust Him
- We serve Him with our whole heart because we trust Him
It’s no wonder the enemy of our soul works so hard to keep us from trusting; he knows he’s powerless when the people of God put their trust in their God.
The word “trusted” in this scripture comes from the Hebrew word baw·takh which means to have confidence, to be confident, to be bold, to be secure, to feel safe.
In today’s self-centered, self-reliant culture, completely trusting (having confidence in and feeling safe and secure) in an invisible God isn’t our default position.
We are taught to trust what we can see, to trust in ourselves
- Our abilities
- Our money
- Our youth
- Our beauty
- Our education
- Our intuition
The 44,760 “capable” warriors (1 Chronicles 5:18) didn’t trust in their abilities or strength, they trusted in their God. They followed the example of their ancestor David:
Some trust in chariots and some in horses (our abilities and our stuff), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. –Psalm 20:7 (explanation mine)
How do we develop a trust “in the name of the LORD our God” and not in our “chariots and horses”?
- Read God’s Word not as some fairy tale but as your ancestors’ (1 Chronicles 5:18) journal of reasons to trust God
- Cry out to God (1 Chronicles 5:20) when you are scared, doubting, and in need of His Help—expect Him to hear you and come to your rescue
- Know that your talents, abilities, money, etc. are gifts from God and reasons to trust Him not yourself
- Keep a journal of answered prayer
- Watch what you say to yourself about your God—does your self-talk sound like you trust Him?
- Tell your family and friends about the goodness of God in your life
Learning to trust God is a journey just like knowing Him. I’m so glad we’re learning together! What do you do to grow in your trust-walk with the Lord?
Lord, we trust you!
© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 8:29 through 1 Chronicles 9:1a; Daniel 4:1-37; Ezekiel 40:1-37
