But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you." ~Psalm 55:23, NIV
Justice. Back in the day, mankind assumed that God's justness would manifest itself solely in this life, but Job's account disproved that. Regardless, ultimately His justice is served, as this psalmist explains.
And the righteous have nothing to fear from God's justice - for they trust in Him and as a token of their trust, serve Him. This year we've seen a lot of things written out, but in the end, it's all about one thing: your relationship with God. Is He your friend? Is He an acquaintance?
Do you recognize His voice? Do you believe, have hope in that voice? Chances are good that if you deal with fear, it's because you don't know God well enough on a one-to-one level.
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Day 362: Psalm 9:9
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." ~Psalm 9:9, NIV
Who is God to you? Is He the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Ruler of the Universe that He really is, or have you somehow managed to put Him in a box in your mind? Is He good, or do you doubt His goodness?
If He is good, then His word is true, if His word is true, then this verse tells us something lovely about the nature of God - He's on the underdog's side. The people that society oppresses? He loves them, too. He is their strength, and can be ours too, if we align with Him.
Is He your refuge, your stronghold in times of trouble? Do you trust Him, do you believe in His goodness?
Who is God to you? Is He the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Ruler of the Universe that He really is, or have you somehow managed to put Him in a box in your mind? Is He good, or do you doubt His goodness?
If He is good, then His word is true, if His word is true, then this verse tells us something lovely about the nature of God - He's on the underdog's side. The people that society oppresses? He loves them, too. He is their strength, and can be ours too, if we align with Him.
Is He your refuge, your stronghold in times of trouble? Do you trust Him, do you believe in His goodness?
Friday, December 21, 2012
Day 356: Psalm 31:14
"But I trust in you, Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" ~Psalm 31:14, NIV
Choices. We make them all the time. Sometimes we make them for our current self, sometimes for our future self. Sometimes we make them irrationally, other times too rationally, sometimes too emotionally, sometimes we don't even choose to make them, they just happen.
The psalmist here is obviously stating his simple choice, and it's one we too, have to make daily. Will we trust in God? Will we let Him be the Lord of our lives?
Let this verse be a reminder that while God has a plan and purpose for you, you choose whether or not to accept that destiny. And I promise, that destiny has nothing to do with cowering in fear at your terrors.
Choices. We make them all the time. Sometimes we make them for our current self, sometimes for our future self. Sometimes we make them irrationally, other times too rationally, sometimes too emotionally, sometimes we don't even choose to make them, they just happen.
The psalmist here is obviously stating his simple choice, and it's one we too, have to make daily. Will we trust in God? Will we let Him be the Lord of our lives?
Let this verse be a reminder that while God has a plan and purpose for you, you choose whether or not to accept that destiny. And I promise, that destiny has nothing to do with cowering in fear at your terrors.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Day 354: Isaiah 37:6
"Isaiah said to them, Tell your master, 'This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me." ~Isaiah 37:6, NIV
Sennacherib was the leader of the Assyrian army, and they were threatening Israel at her very gates - scoffing that even though the King Hezekiah might proclaim "the Lord of Israel will deliver", no god had ever delivered someone from the Assyrians.
Two things - one, that was because the Assyrians hadn't yet come upon the true God, and two, knowing the truth makes you prepared to take on lies, to filter them out. A lie might be "I'm not good enough", or "they're bigger than my God!" If you live believing those kinds of lies, of course you're going to be afraid!
But like Isaiah said, we don't have to be afraid of lies. Walking in truth isn't easy (for sometimes the truth hurts, or is harder to believe than the lies), but ultimately, if you know it, lies won't scare you.
The Bible is the truth; when in doubt, seek God out and He will always answer you - maybe not in your time or with the answer you want, but He will answer.
Sennacherib was the leader of the Assyrian army, and they were threatening Israel at her very gates - scoffing that even though the King Hezekiah might proclaim "the Lord of Israel will deliver", no god had ever delivered someone from the Assyrians.
Two things - one, that was because the Assyrians hadn't yet come upon the true God, and two, knowing the truth makes you prepared to take on lies, to filter them out. A lie might be "I'm not good enough", or "they're bigger than my God!" If you live believing those kinds of lies, of course you're going to be afraid!
But like Isaiah said, we don't have to be afraid of lies. Walking in truth isn't easy (for sometimes the truth hurts, or is harder to believe than the lies), but ultimately, if you know it, lies won't scare you.
The Bible is the truth; when in doubt, seek God out and He will always answer you - maybe not in your time or with the answer you want, but He will answer.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Day 347: 1 Timothy 6:17
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." ~1 Timothy 6:17, NIV
In America, sometimes it seems that we are only thankful at Thanksgiving - and even then it only lasts for as long as dinner. It may be that we're ungrateful because we have to much to be grateful for, or simply because we don't realize how much that really is.
Face it - if you're reading this online, chances are good that you're pretty rich. Have a roof over your head? A full or contented stomach? A bed to sleep in? Easy access to water? 15 dollars at your leisure? Yup, you're definitely richer than 75% of the world (though 91% of statistics are made up on the spot, and the Internet is not infallible).
Paul was telling Timothy about people like you. Hear, and know that God is your hope.
In America, sometimes it seems that we are only thankful at Thanksgiving - and even then it only lasts for as long as dinner. It may be that we're ungrateful because we have to much to be grateful for, or simply because we don't realize how much that really is.
Face it - if you're reading this online, chances are good that you're pretty rich. Have a roof over your head? A full or contented stomach? A bed to sleep in? Easy access to water? 15 dollars at your leisure? Yup, you're definitely richer than 75% of the world (though 91% of statistics are made up on the spot, and the Internet is not infallible).
Paul was telling Timothy about people like you. Hear, and know that God is your hope.
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Day 343: Psalm 85:8
"I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—but let them not turn to folly." ~Psalm 85:8, NIV
Listening is underrated sometimes, but in order to understand what we hear, we really have to listen. And with someone as seemingly incorporeal as God to listen to, it takes that much more focus to hear what He wants us to know. David says he listened, and we can read and take hope from what David heard.
David heard God promise peace to His children, with a warning to stay away from folly, also known as sin. God loves us - He doesn't want us to live in fear. In fact, He can't really use us if we're trapped in a cycle of terror, because we'll be too scared to step out of our comfort zones and do His will.
So remember what God has spoken, and listen to what He's saying today. It will bring light to your world.
Listening is underrated sometimes, but in order to understand what we hear, we really have to listen. And with someone as seemingly incorporeal as God to listen to, it takes that much more focus to hear what He wants us to know. David says he listened, and we can read and take hope from what David heard.
David heard God promise peace to His children, with a warning to stay away from folly, also known as sin. God loves us - He doesn't want us to live in fear. In fact, He can't really use us if we're trapped in a cycle of terror, because we'll be too scared to step out of our comfort zones and do His will.
So remember what God has spoken, and listen to what He's saying today. It will bring light to your world.
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Day 341: Psalm 56:4
"In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" ~Psalm 56:4, NIV
David obviously believed in a God who controls the universe and holds tightly to what He has created. He believed in a separation of the body into body, soul and spirit, and knew that the spirit is the element that lasts forever.
David knew body and soul would eventually pass away, but the spirit would always remain. Therefore, he was aware that mortals could do what nature would by killing his body (and thus his soul), but that his spirit was in God's hand.
If the spirit lasts forever but the body exists for only a breath, why fear those who can only harm the body? What could mere mortals do in terms of eternity? Nothing. God, on the other hand, could do a lot, but David trusted as we can trust that in God's benevolence if we trust, accept and follow His son Jesus we can live an eternity of peace.
That is the God we trust and give our fear. The one who loved us so much that He gave the body and soul of His son into the hands of the devil so that when our life is sucked from us, we would not die forever.
David obviously believed in a God who controls the universe and holds tightly to what He has created. He believed in a separation of the body into body, soul and spirit, and knew that the spirit is the element that lasts forever.
David knew body and soul would eventually pass away, but the spirit would always remain. Therefore, he was aware that mortals could do what nature would by killing his body (and thus his soul), but that his spirit was in God's hand.
If the spirit lasts forever but the body exists for only a breath, why fear those who can only harm the body? What could mere mortals do in terms of eternity? Nothing. God, on the other hand, could do a lot, but David trusted as we can trust that in God's benevolence if we trust, accept and follow His son Jesus we can live an eternity of peace.
That is the God we trust and give our fear. The one who loved us so much that He gave the body and soul of His son into the hands of the devil so that when our life is sucked from us, we would not die forever.
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Day 340: Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans." ~Psalm 118:8, NIV
Logic. It is amazing, and gives us much insight. The thing about logic is that it is utterly subjective. If you have something to think about, logic is always based on prior knowledge, and connecting it together the way that you have been taught to connect things.
Thinking outside of the box then, is really just shifting the way you view your logic.
However, in light of that, we're going to look above and see why that sentence makes logical sense. David is a man of God, and he trusts that this invisible being will love and protect him ALWAYS. Humans have been proven to be fallible in his life, but God has always come to his aid when he needed it.
Therefore, if he were given the choice to trust humans or God, he would look at the track record and see that humans had failed him infinitely, whereas God had never failed him. While some people may have taken some of the events of David's life and questioned God's existence and trust (betrayal at Saul's hand, death of Jonathan, betrayal at Absalom's hand), David believed and trusted in God's good will, therefore allowing him to see everything in God's light.
So how does your logic work?
Logic. It is amazing, and gives us much insight. The thing about logic is that it is utterly subjective. If you have something to think about, logic is always based on prior knowledge, and connecting it together the way that you have been taught to connect things.
Thinking outside of the box then, is really just shifting the way you view your logic.
However, in light of that, we're going to look above and see why that sentence makes logical sense. David is a man of God, and he trusts that this invisible being will love and protect him ALWAYS. Humans have been proven to be fallible in his life, but God has always come to his aid when he needed it.
Therefore, if he were given the choice to trust humans or God, he would look at the track record and see that humans had failed him infinitely, whereas God had never failed him. While some people may have taken some of the events of David's life and questioned God's existence and trust (betrayal at Saul's hand, death of Jonathan, betrayal at Absalom's hand), David believed and trusted in God's good will, therefore allowing him to see everything in God's light.
So how does your logic work?
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Day 337: Luke 21:12-18
"But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish." ~Luke 21:12-18, NIV
Verse 19 continues to say that if we stand firm, we will have life - not necessarily this physical life, but life as God intended it. The fact of the matter is exactly as Jesus stated it above. We're going to face a lot of trials in our lives, some more challenging to our faith than others, and we're going to get a lot of grief for the fact that we believe He's the Messiah.
On the flipside, He's also with us. He says that "not a hair of your head will perish." You will survive, even if it's in the afterlife. It's not going to be easy, but believe, and remember that in all of it, He's with you.
Verse 19 continues to say that if we stand firm, we will have life - not necessarily this physical life, but life as God intended it. The fact of the matter is exactly as Jesus stated it above. We're going to face a lot of trials in our lives, some more challenging to our faith than others, and we're going to get a lot of grief for the fact that we believe He's the Messiah.
On the flipside, He's also with us. He says that "not a hair of your head will perish." You will survive, even if it's in the afterlife. It's not going to be easy, but believe, and remember that in all of it, He's with you.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Day 335: Psalm 31:6
"I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord." ~Psalm 31:6, NIV
The psalmist has one thing straight in his life: little metal (or plastic) objects don't deserve to be at the forefront of your trust. Despite the vigor with which you cling to your credit card for security, the fact of the matter is that material things only have the value we assign to them. That means that in the greater picture, they are worthless.
No matter your beliefs on the Son of God, I think we can generally agree with Him on at least one point: people are more important than possessions. Wouldn't you rather have a family that loves, supports and cares about you than $100,000? Wouldn't you rather have a partner that you knew would never abandon you, who loved you for who you were and supported your decisions than a Lamborghini? Relationships are what matter, relationships are the reason we are remembered, relationships determine how successful we've been in the end.
The Proverbs describe that it's better to have a good wife in a small house than a foolish woman and all the riches of the world. God is a person of sorts - someone we can relate to. He also happens to be the most bountiful giver and holder of all goods in the universe.
You can trust Him, or the goods He gives. The psalmist has it right - trust the hand that feeds you, not the food the hand gives.
The psalmist has one thing straight in his life: little metal (or plastic) objects don't deserve to be at the forefront of your trust. Despite the vigor with which you cling to your credit card for security, the fact of the matter is that material things only have the value we assign to them. That means that in the greater picture, they are worthless.
No matter your beliefs on the Son of God, I think we can generally agree with Him on at least one point: people are more important than possessions. Wouldn't you rather have a family that loves, supports and cares about you than $100,000? Wouldn't you rather have a partner that you knew would never abandon you, who loved you for who you were and supported your decisions than a Lamborghini? Relationships are what matter, relationships are the reason we are remembered, relationships determine how successful we've been in the end.
The Proverbs describe that it's better to have a good wife in a small house than a foolish woman and all the riches of the world. God is a person of sorts - someone we can relate to. He also happens to be the most bountiful giver and holder of all goods in the universe.
You can trust Him, or the goods He gives. The psalmist has it right - trust the hand that feeds you, not the food the hand gives.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Day 330: Isaiah 12:2
"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." ~Isaiah 12:2, NIV
You may be familiar with the teenage game of "string as many curse words in a sentence as possible." Apparently this originated from the Biblical poetry where the poet tries to stick as many images of their good and loving God in a single verse as it possible.
The topic of these images vary, sometimes they just talk about His unfailing love, but as this verse from a poem of Isaiah shows, sometimes the theme is God as our protector: our reason to fear not.
Surely, if we were to fill our heads as full of God's faithfulness as this verse is, we would never be afraid. But we don't do that, so we look to these verses instead. Isaiah said surely he will trust in God, and choose to not be afraid, he believed in the Lord, and that He was his defense and deliverer.
It's still true - if you want it to be.
You may be familiar with the teenage game of "string as many curse words in a sentence as possible." Apparently this originated from the Biblical poetry where the poet tries to stick as many images of their good and loving God in a single verse as it possible.
The topic of these images vary, sometimes they just talk about His unfailing love, but as this verse from a poem of Isaiah shows, sometimes the theme is God as our protector: our reason to fear not.
Surely, if we were to fill our heads as full of God's faithfulness as this verse is, we would never be afraid. But we don't do that, so we look to these verses instead. Isaiah said surely he will trust in God, and choose to not be afraid, he believed in the Lord, and that He was his defense and deliverer.
It's still true - if you want it to be.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Day 329: 2 Kings 18:5
"Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him." ~2 Kings 18:5, NIV
So in the realm of great kings of Judah, there's a couple of names that might stick out as good ones: David, Solomon, Josiah, Hezekiah, and Jesus.
David was really the first great king Israel had, a true man after God's own heart. Solomon came after him and did great things, but eventually fell away in the end. Josiah was a wee little lad whom God helped to do great things in the wake of his father's terrible rule. Jesus wasn't technically a king, and that leaves our list with Hezekiah.
The simple reason as to why Hezekiah was great is in this verse. He was great because he trusted God. He did what he did unlike any of the kings of Judah because of his unwavering faith in his God.
What results is a simple rule - the only way to be truly great is to trust God. When you put your trust in Him, He leads you to do many things, and all of them will blow your mind. The patient obedience of God is unlike anything. Not fearing what He has for you expands you as a person, too. And in the end, people will remember you because you trusted Him. That's not how they'll remember you, but that's why.
So in the realm of great kings of Judah, there's a couple of names that might stick out as good ones: David, Solomon, Josiah, Hezekiah, and Jesus.
David was really the first great king Israel had, a true man after God's own heart. Solomon came after him and did great things, but eventually fell away in the end. Josiah was a wee little lad whom God helped to do great things in the wake of his father's terrible rule. Jesus wasn't technically a king, and that leaves our list with Hezekiah.
The simple reason as to why Hezekiah was great is in this verse. He was great because he trusted God. He did what he did unlike any of the kings of Judah because of his unwavering faith in his God.
What results is a simple rule - the only way to be truly great is to trust God. When you put your trust in Him, He leads you to do many things, and all of them will blow your mind. The patient obedience of God is unlike anything. Not fearing what He has for you expands you as a person, too. And in the end, people will remember you because you trusted Him. That's not how they'll remember you, but that's why.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Day 326: Psalm 115:11
"You who fear him, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield." ~Psalm 115:11, NIV
Boy do we have a lot of confusing pronouns going on right now... it would appear that 'you' is referring to Israel, 'him' to God, but then the psalmist instructs us to trust 'him' by one of His names - the Lord. 'He' still makes sense in reference to God, but do 'they' refer to someone separate of 'you' or did 'you' just become 'them'?
The psalmist couldn't have made it easy, now could they? (Here we go again...)
Regardless of the confusion in English, the premise remains simple: If you respect/revere God, trust in Him. Those who trust in Him know God as their help, as their shield, as their hope, a safe place to be.
That doesn't mean God won't allow you to be in helpless, defenseless, hopeless, unsafe situations. But even if He chooses not to bring you out of those places the way you think He should doesn't change the fact that in a helpless situation, He is your help, in defenseless situations, He is your shield, in hopeless situations, He is hope, in dangerous situations, He is your safety.
God uses all things, and sometimes He says no to our prayers. He still loves us, and He still uses all things to draw us nearer to Him.
Even fear.
Boy do we have a lot of confusing pronouns going on right now... it would appear that 'you' is referring to Israel, 'him' to God, but then the psalmist instructs us to trust 'him' by one of His names - the Lord. 'He' still makes sense in reference to God, but do 'they' refer to someone separate of 'you' or did 'you' just become 'them'?
The psalmist couldn't have made it easy, now could they? (Here we go again...)
Regardless of the confusion in English, the premise remains simple: If you respect/revere God, trust in Him. Those who trust in Him know God as their help, as their shield, as their hope, a safe place to be.
That doesn't mean God won't allow you to be in helpless, defenseless, hopeless, unsafe situations. But even if He chooses not to bring you out of those places the way you think He should doesn't change the fact that in a helpless situation, He is your help, in defenseless situations, He is your shield, in hopeless situations, He is hope, in dangerous situations, He is your safety.
God uses all things, and sometimes He says no to our prayers. He still loves us, and He still uses all things to draw us nearer to Him.
Even fear.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Day 322: Psalm 25:2
"I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me." ~Psalm 25:2, NIV
Dear
God,
I
don't always make good choices, like trusting that You will actually
take care of me but... when I do choose to trust You... will You
please not put me to shame?
Will
You please stop my enemies so that they don't win?
Please?
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Day 312: Mark 4:40
"He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" ~Mark 4:40, NIV
Jesus had perfect control over His fear. That doesn't mean He was never afraid, but He never let fear dictate His actions - whatever He saw the Father doing, He did also. Once He was in the boat while His disciples were going across the sea. He was tired, so He was napping, and a great storm came up.
The disciples feared for their lives, and they woke up Jesus. "Don't you care if we drown?" they screamed in His face. I bet that, rubbing the sleep out of His eyes, He stood and told the wind and waves to shut it.
That probably silenced His disciples too. In the stunned silence He probably looked them over, and asked the above. They were afraid of death, and I suspect they were also afraid of Jesus. He had, after all, just been interrupted of His nap, and was likely irritable.
In all seriousness, the disciples had seen and participated in plenty of miracles at that point. It's totally possible that if they had had faith, they could have calmed the waves. It's also possible that they would have survived the storm.
Jesus isn't napping in our boat, He's always awake, alive and aware inside of us, bidding us to do what we see Him do. When we let fear get the best of us, I bet He's saying the above. "Why are you afraid? Don't you trust me?
Do my people still have no faith?"
Jesus had perfect control over His fear. That doesn't mean He was never afraid, but He never let fear dictate His actions - whatever He saw the Father doing, He did also. Once He was in the boat while His disciples were going across the sea. He was tired, so He was napping, and a great storm came up.
The disciples feared for their lives, and they woke up Jesus. "Don't you care if we drown?" they screamed in His face. I bet that, rubbing the sleep out of His eyes, He stood and told the wind and waves to shut it.
That probably silenced His disciples too. In the stunned silence He probably looked them over, and asked the above. They were afraid of death, and I suspect they were also afraid of Jesus. He had, after all, just been interrupted of His nap, and was likely irritable.
In all seriousness, the disciples had seen and participated in plenty of miracles at that point. It's totally possible that if they had had faith, they could have calmed the waves. It's also possible that they would have survived the storm.
Jesus isn't napping in our boat, He's always awake, alive and aware inside of us, bidding us to do what we see Him do. When we let fear get the best of us, I bet He's saying the above. "Why are you afraid? Don't you trust me?
Do my people still have no faith?"
Friday, October 19, 2012
Day 293: James 5:16
"Therefore
confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may
be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." ~James 5:16, NIV
The context of this verse is the "prayer of faith", as described to be capable of asking for and receiving anything. Our fears can stem from many things - nature, nurture, spirit... But prayer brings faith, prayer hands the issue off to God so you don't have to worry about it anymore.
And while the Bible does tell us to pray for ourselves (ask and you shall receive) we are the body of Christ, and in a body, if one cell is sick, there's damage to the whole body. You are important to the body, and it's up to God through (disclaimer: not always) the body to take care of you.
It's also our responsibility as the body to take care of each other, and prayer is the "least" we can do - yet look at what James says! Prayer is powerful and effective. So it's not a small thing to do, and isn't it so simple? And can't we banish each other's fears by asking God to do so? And don't we foster a loving, caring atmosphere that growth easily comes to when we do so?
And don't we break down barriers that humans erect when we do so?
The context of this verse is the "prayer of faith", as described to be capable of asking for and receiving anything. Our fears can stem from many things - nature, nurture, spirit... But prayer brings faith, prayer hands the issue off to God so you don't have to worry about it anymore.
And while the Bible does tell us to pray for ourselves (ask and you shall receive) we are the body of Christ, and in a body, if one cell is sick, there's damage to the whole body. You are important to the body, and it's up to God through (disclaimer: not always) the body to take care of you.
It's also our responsibility as the body to take care of each other, and prayer is the "least" we can do - yet look at what James says! Prayer is powerful and effective. So it's not a small thing to do, and isn't it so simple? And can't we banish each other's fears by asking God to do so? And don't we foster a loving, caring atmosphere that growth easily comes to when we do so?
And don't we break down barriers that humans erect when we do so?
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Day 292: Proverbs 29:25
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." ~Proverbs 29:25, NIV
One of my favorite things about the Proverbs is that you don't need as much context (in most verses) for them to make perfect sense. The context for me is often more confusing in the Proverbs, since they don't always seem to follow a rhyme or reason. Regardless, it's pretty simple to sum up the above verse.
A snare is a trap; it catches you and suspends you from doing anything and often times also hurts you. Fearing humans - literally being afraid or "respecting" them to the point where you have no opinion - is one such a trap. For one, humans will always let you down, eventually. For two, they're not always right, and living your life in accordance to them is dangerous in that respect.
But God is a different matter, He will never let you down (unless you expect something of Him that He doesn't intend to do, and He only ever intends to fulfill His perfect plan to love you), He will never let you go, He wrote the difference between right and wrong and He is the opposite of sin. He is a safe person to trust your heart to, your possessions to, your life to, because He loves you so much that He will only ever do what needs to be done to make you an incredible person.
One of my favorite things about the Proverbs is that you don't need as much context (in most verses) for them to make perfect sense. The context for me is often more confusing in the Proverbs, since they don't always seem to follow a rhyme or reason. Regardless, it's pretty simple to sum up the above verse.
A snare is a trap; it catches you and suspends you from doing anything and often times also hurts you. Fearing humans - literally being afraid or "respecting" them to the point where you have no opinion - is one such a trap. For one, humans will always let you down, eventually. For two, they're not always right, and living your life in accordance to them is dangerous in that respect.
But God is a different matter, He will never let you down (unless you expect something of Him that He doesn't intend to do, and He only ever intends to fulfill His perfect plan to love you), He will never let you go, He wrote the difference between right and wrong and He is the opposite of sin. He is a safe person to trust your heart to, your possessions to, your life to, because He loves you so much that He will only ever do what needs to be done to make you an incredible person.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Day 291: Hebrews 2:13
"And again, 'I will put my trust in him.'" ~Hebrews 2:13, NIV
So in Hebrews James is discussing how Jesus confidently came to His father and called us His children, His sisters, His brothers. He is quoting Isaiah, but even as He does so He says "I will put my trust in Him."
If He is our father and our "brother" and Savior Jesus chose to trust Him, how much more can we? And those words that had been in existence for hundreds of years before suddenly came to pass - and what joy is in that!
Again, (because it's not a one time procedure or a single example in the contextual passage,) I will put my trust in Him who created me to make me whole.
So in Hebrews James is discussing how Jesus confidently came to His father and called us His children, His sisters, His brothers. He is quoting Isaiah, but even as He does so He says "I will put my trust in Him."
If He is our father and our "brother" and Savior Jesus chose to trust Him, how much more can we? And those words that had been in existence for hundreds of years before suddenly came to pass - and what joy is in that!
Again, (because it's not a one time procedure or a single example in the contextual passage,) I will put my trust in Him who created me to make me whole.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Day 290: 2 Timothy 1:12
"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day" ~2 Timothy 1:12, NIV
Paul, after changing ways on the road to Damascus, was one of the most fantastic apostles in the Bible. He gave everything to God's cause, and as he tells Timothy in the verse above, he suffered for it.
But he didn't mind, because he trusted that God was able to guard his soul, his life, that which he had entrusted unto God. What's a little struggle in light of eternity?
When we give God our will, He takes it and gives back so much more: He gives us fulfillment, purpose, His love. We don't have to be afraid of surrendering ourselves: just believe He is good and that His plan is great.
Paul, after changing ways on the road to Damascus, was one of the most fantastic apostles in the Bible. He gave everything to God's cause, and as he tells Timothy in the verse above, he suffered for it.
But he didn't mind, because he trusted that God was able to guard his soul, his life, that which he had entrusted unto God. What's a little struggle in light of eternity?
When we give God our will, He takes it and gives back so much more: He gives us fulfillment, purpose, His love. We don't have to be afraid of surrendering ourselves: just believe He is good and that His plan is great.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Day 288: Psalm 91:2
"I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.'" ~Psalm 91:2, NIV
Humans are funny creatures. Not everything we say is true, but the things we say, think or believe often become true. What we believe is often not true, but by knowing the truth we can choose to believe it.
And even if we don't believe it yet, at least not at that gut level of certainty we all so desire, we can make it true. That's why the author of Psalm 91 starts his psalm with a declaration of truth, and then a statement declaring his declaration of truth.
It doesn't matter if you believe it now, what matters is that the above verse is true. Jesus, God: they are a safe place to be, the one thing in life you can trust. By choosing to say that, by choosing to believe it, you make it true for yourself. And with that truth, all fears tends to just vanish into smoke...
my God, in whom I trust.'" ~Psalm 91:2, NIV
Humans are funny creatures. Not everything we say is true, but the things we say, think or believe often become true. What we believe is often not true, but by knowing the truth we can choose to believe it.
And even if we don't believe it yet, at least not at that gut level of certainty we all so desire, we can make it true. That's why the author of Psalm 91 starts his psalm with a declaration of truth, and then a statement declaring his declaration of truth.
It doesn't matter if you believe it now, what matters is that the above verse is true. Jesus, God: they are a safe place to be, the one thing in life you can trust. By choosing to say that, by choosing to believe it, you make it true for yourself. And with that truth, all fears tends to just vanish into smoke...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)