October 07, 2009

Trusting Your God

Romans 15:7-13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him …
Romans 15:13

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We can only understand the unknown by way of the known. That’s why it’s hard to explain to a lifelong resident of the tropics what it feels like to walk to school in freezing temperatures with an icy wind blowing in your face. There’s no point of reference. It’s the same with explaining the importance of trust. How do we explain it to someone who has never experienced it?

Many Christians have heard the phrase “trust and obey.” But, if pressed, they’re better at explaining obedience than trust. Yet the two are deeply intertwined and interrelated. Why, for example, would we obey a God whom we didn’t trust?

What then does it mean to trust God?

It’s really a matter of jumping in and accepting the truth of Scripture that God is our Maker and the source of joy and peace. Having true joy and peace means believing that God fills us with those blessings as we submit to him. Submitting to God means confessing that we cannot handle life on our own; we need God.

Trusting God means more than believing God exists. Trust celebrates the way God directs the affairs of this world, even when things seem out of control. Trusting God leads to a confident hope that he cares for us and that our ultimate security is in his hand. There’s no healthy relationship with God without that kind of trust.

Heavenly Father, help us to trust you so implicitly that we can walk confidently and obediently with you in all situations. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

About the author — George Vink

Pastor George Vink has served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for more than 30 years in British Columbia, Montana, Michigan, and California. He and his wife, Shirley, have four married sons and nine grandchildren.

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