Trust in the Lord.

“On mine arm shall they trust.” Isaiah 51:5

 Trust is very important in any relationship. It is the bedrock of any meaningful relationship.  When there is trust you can be yourself. You can afford to be vulnerable. You know you will not be taken advantaged of or poked fun at.  Without trust there can be no intimacy. Without trust there is suspicion. You watch your every word; you are a like a sheep amongst wolves or a fish out of water. You pretend, playact, and try to please or patronise for acceptance.

Whereas this characteristic is treasured when it is shared and desired in our daily interactions, we must all admit to have disappointed people who have trusted us, from time to time. This may be deliberate or unintentional because of our human weakness and limitations.

And because of our limitation, absolute trust in any human being will be misplaced. Only God can be trusted any day anytime-through thick and thin. That is why He counsels us not to trust in the arms of the flesh but trust in Him.

 

³     Trust in the LORD, and do good;

     Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

⁴     Delight yourself also in the LORD,

     And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵     Commit your way to the LORD,

     Trust also in Him,

     And He shall bring it to pass.

⁶     He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

        And your justice as the noonday.

⁴⁰   And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;

     He shall deliver them from the wicked,

     And save them,

     Because they trust in Him.

Ps37:3-6, 40

⁵       Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

       And lean not on your own understanding;

⁶       In all your ways acknowledge Him,

                And He shall direct your paths.Prov3:5-6

³       You will keep him in perfect peace,

       Whose mind is stayed on You,

       Because he trusts in You.

⁴       Trust in the LORD forever,

                For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. Isa26:4

God warned the Israelites not to forget Him when they were well fed and tempted to say:

¹⁷ …in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

¹⁸        “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.Deut8:17-18

 

“Some trust in chariots”: This is symbolic of our trappings and pomp and pageantry or class. Others trust in their connections- their friends or family or business partners money in the bank. Yet others trust in their accolades, their prestige or reputation, wealth or physique- their beauty or hunky looks or talents.

Whereas these are not bad in themselves, but they become our weakness or even grave diggers when we begin to trust in them.

Why? They are fleeting, transient, ephemeral and will bring a rude awakening when they suddenly fail us without warning.

King Nebuchadnezzar was in this place when he climbed up his balcony and admired his Babylonian empire, arrogating to himself, the power, wisdom and sovereignty. He thought he was invincible.

As praised himself for his achievements-not acknowledging the Source, he was weighed and found wanting and driven into the forest, lost his mind and grew feathers like a bird and nails like claws, banished for seven years in the wilderness, until he repented was restored.

 

 

“Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”

³¹     While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!³² And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”

³³     That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

³⁴     And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

       For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

       And His kingdom is from generation to generation.

³⁵     All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;

       He does according to His will in the army of heaven

       And among the inhabitants of the earth.

       No one can restrain His hand

       Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

³⁶                At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me.

Dan4:30-36

Later on, his son, Belteshazzar, took over the reins of the empire and never learnt a lesson from his father about the folly in trusting in himself. After the death of his father, he organised a great feast and ordered that the holy vessels which had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought for his rave with his concubines.

Whilst they were waltzing, wining and dining, he saw the finger of a man writing on the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

His countenance changed, his joints gave way and he became wobbly and was gripped with fear and trepidation as his knees knocked. He became desperate for an interpretation but none of his astrologers were able to interpret the inscription.

Fortunately, he had a wise wife who knew that only one man could interpret that mystery and that was Daniel. He was summoned and he interpreted the inscription- meaning ‘You have been weigh and found wanting.’ He lost the kingdom to invaders that very night and died in the siege.

Power had intoxicated him. He was trusting in himself and his wealth and position.

Herod in the time of the persecution of the apostles was very renowned and was greatly gifted with oratory. He was like a colossus and demagogue and highly respected and sought after. Yes, he was alike some motivational speakers like Tony Blair who could rake in hundreds of thousands of pound with just a few speaking engagements.

On one occasion as he was performing, people were in awe;

 And as he lapped it all up, he was suddenly struck down and died and immediately worms came out of him.

 

²² And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.Acts12:22-23

 

So my friend where is your trust? Is it in your wealth or connections or reputation? I hope not.

It is all sinking sand. It’s all pie in the sky. It’s all vanity upon vanity. It’s all grasping of the wind and pursuing the wind. It will not hold water on the evil day.

⁵     Thus says the LORD:

       ” Cursed is the man who trusts in man

       And makes flesh his strength,

                Whose heart departs from the LORD.Jer17:5

 

⁷     Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

     But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Ps20:7

 

Trust in the Lord

 

Trust in the Lord at ALL times and you will stand and withstand any adversity. Trust in the Lord at all times and your trust will not be mislaid or misplaced. When everything else fails God will not fail those who trust in Him.

²⁴   “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.Matt7:24-25

He told Moses: “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock.”Ex33:21

¹     Those who trust in the LORD

     Are like Mount Zion,

     Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

²     As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

     So the LORD surrounds His people

     From this time forth and forever.

Ps126:1-2

 

Yes, when you trust the Lord, you will be like mount Zion and you will not be moved. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord will surround you. His angels will be round about you to keep you in all your ways.

 When He is your refuge and strength, He will hide you under the shadow of His wings.  No harm will befall you. No disaster will come near your dwelling. He will make room for you. He will set you high upon a rock and your head will be lifted high above your enemies and any storms.  You will soar like an eagle- using the adverse wind to scale heights hitherto unknown to you.  You will step out of your comfort zone and walk on water like Peter. In your weakness, His strength will be made perfect. He will enable you to leap over walls and run through troops. He will fight your battles. No weapon fashioned against you will prosper. They may throw you into the pit and steal your coat and sell you like a chattel as they did Joseph but the adversities you face will work for you. And as you maintain your diligence and integrity and excellence like Joseph, you will be a blessing wherever you. You will prosper even in prison. God will order your steps. He will provide for you even in the day of famine. When you go through rivers and waters, you will not drown. When you go through the fire, the fire will set you free to fulfil your vision, like Daniel and friends.

Trust in the Lord and you will not rust. Trust in the Lord and He will thrust you into the Land of good things; the Land flowing with milk and honey. Trust in the Lord and the boundary lines will fall for you in pleasant places. Trust in the Lord. Again I say, trust in the Lord.