March 24, 2021
Who Are You Trusting?
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
Don’t turn to the right or to the left (Proverbs 4:27, CSB).
Friend to Friend
Knowing her soul was filled with sorrow, I sent my girlfriend a few texts with links to worship songs, hoping they would cover her grieving heart with comfort. A while later she responded. Listening and worshiping. I have death certificates and head stones here, but we know that he has eternal life and the glory of God all around him. For that, I will ever praise the Lord.
The funeral had passed, but the sting of the death was still fresh and fierce.
At the hand of a tragic, senseless accident, her young-adult son was gone in an instant. Shockwaves of horror ripped through the community, leaving tens of thousands with a raw reminder of the frailty of life.
One treasure in the darkness of this horrific loss is this: my friend grieved with hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13) She and her family lamented knowing full well that the ashes of death for a believer transition to the perfect beauty of God’s presence.
Faith in Jesus brings hope. Life eternal.
Contrarily, faith in riches… wealth… things of earth bring hopelessness and death. Sadly, many among us place earthly treasures above the unsearchable greatness of God. The Bible speaks directly to this in Psalm 49.
“For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others” (Psalm 49:10).
It’s said there are two things no one can avoid: death and taxes.
Psalm 49 gets a bit icky by tabling the uncomfortable topic of the unavoidable date we all have with death. The questions that rise in my heart as I read Psalm 49 are ones of trust. Will I trust in my position, my possessions and myself or will I trust in God? Will I believe God really is who the Bible says He is, or will I park out in shadows of doubt?
The psalmist went on about it. “People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings” (Psalm 49:12-13).
I’m reminded to stop looking around at the blessings or wealth of others. Ain’t no Uhaul following a hearse, right?
“Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil” (Proverbs 4:27).
I read this and wrestle with the tension.
Will I trust in God?
Will I follow His plan or chart my own?
Will I choose to believe He is faithful, just and compassionate even in and through strains and pain?
Will I yield my heart to His and align to His will over my own or turn to the right and to the left?
Hard times have taught me that I can trust God to redeem every ounce of pain. I can trust Him, not because circumstances are always easy or enjoyable, but because God is and always will be faithful.
He is and always will be loving.
He is and always will be good.
Those who misplace their trust in wealth, politicians, employment, the economy or popularity do not know this hope. What would it look like for you to trust God today?
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, You are the Author of Life and the Giver of each day. Help me to trust You when life hurts. Help me to worship whether I have much or little.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What are you trusting in? What's been tripping you up lately?
What or who do you feel led to release to God's care today?
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© 2021 by Gwen Smith. All rights reserved.
Originally published Wednesday, 24 March 2021.
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