Psalm 56: 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
Perhaps the Founding Fathers of our nation had this Psalm in mind when they printed “In God We Trust” on our currency. They certainly faced imprisonment if not death for their treason against the King of England. Many of them lost everything in their efforts – except their faith. Yet they felt called to establish a nation where practicing their faith was allowed and where freedom was a given and human dignity should be upheld.
Jesus said we could not serve two masters – God and material (man-made) things. In Matthew, Chapter 6, he tells us not to be anxious but to seek God first and foremost in all we do, say and think. My pastor said in his sermon Sunday that “be not afraid” occurs over 35 times in the New Testament. It seems that God knows life can be uncertain and it is human nature to be fearful of the unknown. By saying “Be not afraid” so many times, He wants us to know that no matter what the circumstances, He is the one thing we can count upon. We can have faith in Him.
A plaque in my family home reads that Faith is not Hope without Proof, But Trust without Reservations. Trust dispels fear. It is the certainty in the midst of uncertainty. The lifeline we can grab hold of and cling tightly too. It is the raft floating in the sea of despair and the storms of unforeseen circumstances. In these turbulent economic times, “In God We Trust” imprinted on the little change we have left in our pockets is a good reminder that it all belongs to Him, we are just the stewards. And if God cares enough about the flowers in the field and the birds in the trees, if He knows every single hair on our heads, surely, if we trust in Him and continue to do His will with praise, there is no reason to fear the future.
As we approach Presidents Day, there is a movement of prayer that is asking Christians to stop at 9pm EST every night and pray for our nation and our people – that we will once again be a nation that turns to God and put our trust in Him. Trust is an action of faith as much as faith is the result of trust. You might say they are like two sides of the coin.
