Trusting God - Jeremiah 17:7

Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. (NIV)

            In today’s highlighted verse, we are encouraged to personally trust God and place our confidence in Him. We sometimes view these positive values as spiritual feelings we should muster, especially when we are faced with an issue or a crisis. So, to do this, we steady our nerves and steel ourselves for whatever lies ahead. We aim to control our fears by fortifying our faith, so no matter what we face, we know God is with us and He will not let us down. Usually, these are good feelings to have, but this is not what the prophet Jeremiah understood when he spoke about having trust and confidence in God.

            In ancient Hebrew, the words for trust and confidence are batach and mibtach, which sound very Klingon to me. However, they are not gutsy feelings of bravado; they are the intentional acts of someone who deliberately seeks a place of safety or a haven free from any harm. In Jeremiah’s time, a person who placed their confidence in God also had to be proactive about their situation or plight. It was not enough to just ‘let go and let God’; someone who was seriously needing God’s help had to fully be involved in finding the solution to his or her trouble. In fact, someone who trusted and had confidence in God not only prayed about their condition or crisis, they also displayed that they were seeking the best possible outcome or resolution to their problem.

            These days, we sometimes offer God glib prayers about our situations and then expect Him to fully work out our problems and solve all the issues. We want our wishes to be fulfilled, but don’t want to change our lives. We need our petitions to be heard, but don’t like to be bothered by having to deal with the actual process. In other words, we seek a shortcut to the solution, so we can get back to feeling good and carry on with our daily lives. The trouble with this instant-response spirituality is clear: God becomes a genie in a lamp and our prayers sound very much like magic spells.

            In order to realize what Jeremiah originally expressed about trust and confidence – batach and mitbach – we need to get beyond our feelings and actively seek a solution to our problems. At the same time, we also should look for God’s wisdom and guidance to lead us through the whole process. In this way, we rely on God to show us the way ahead, so we can take the right steps to deal with our troubles. Faith, then, is no longer just a trustful feeling – it becomes something we can positively apply in our present circumstances and personal situations.

Point to ponder

What am I currently facing? What am I asking God to help me with? How am I applying His guidance?

Prayer: Lord God, You know us completely and the different situations we each face. We look to You for help and seek Your wisdom to deal with our issues. Grant us patience and guidance, as well as trust and confidence to look for the assistance we need, the counsel we require, and the solution to our problems. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You’ll be made very welcome.

Today’s image is one of John’s very first faith drawings called “Crossing Over.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Crossing.

Times of Refreshing - Acts 3:19-20a

Acts 3:19-20a  Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. (NRSV)

            We have all been emotionally impacted by the tragic events that have occurred over the past few weeks. Hurricanes and floods, mass murder and terrorism, and even the deaths of music icons like Tom Petty, have severely dented the well-being and joy of our spirits. As we wake up each day, we all wonder what sort of world we will encounter and what new crisis may be just around the corner. It seems that life has lost some of its sparkle and that we are all living in some sort of global Shakespearean tragedy from which there is no escape or happy ending.

            God doesn’t want us to feel pain or unhappiness, to be depressed by events beyond our control or fearful of what could happen. He wants us to turn away from the darkness and despair in the world in order to be welcomed into His light and love, so that our weary souls may be refreshed and our sorrowful spirits may be uplifted. Because God cares for who we are and what we experience, His presence is with us every day, no matter what occurs, where we are, or what we do. In times like these, it’s very easy to withdraw from the world and isolate ourselves, but God does not want us to emotionally hibernate from all the people, places, and things around us. We were created by Him to enjoy what He has made and to be reassured that we are not on our own.

            Perhaps you are feeling down and discouraged. Maybe you are anxious about the future and don’t understand why bad things happen. Perhaps you are really tired and in a rut simply because you are carrying burdens or responsibilities that are heavy to bear. I’ve been there, too, and know how easy it is to slide back into despondency. But I’ve also known the refreshing experience of turning to God like a child to be comforted and consoled by His love, compassion, and care. I hope and pray that you will seek these blessings, too.

Point to ponder

What scares and saddens me about the world? Am I willing to turn to God for guidance, hope, and strength?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You personally suffered a great tragedy and terrifying pain. You perfectly understand how we feel when we are faced with sorrowful circumstances and emotional despair. Allow Your Spirit to come to us when we turn back to You. Refresh our weary spirits and renew our personal faith. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.  You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. If you would like to send John a message about today’s devotional, please email him at Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Mackintosh style drawings called ‘The Love of Roses.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Roses.