It is December again. We all have Christmas in the back of our minds even if we are not actively thinking about it. The message of the angels to the shepherds was, “Peace on earth and goodwill to men.” Are you experiencing God’s peace? Are you at rest in God and the work He has given you to do? Are you secure in His provision in this economic atmosphere?
Judith Havens shares her lesson on trust with us. In whatever ways your world is turned on its head this Christmas season, let your stability come from your deep abiding trust of the God who gives us peace.
Have you ever ridden on a roller coaster? You know, that up and down motion. One moment you are excited with anticipation of what is to come…the thrill of a life time. The next moment you are being flung through the air and wondering if you will survive. That is usually when I think, “I will never get on this thing again!”Life can sometimes be a roller coaster ride. Many twists and turns, ups and downs and at times life feels like I just want to get off and walk on stable ground. But what if the roller coaster is normal and stability is the knowledge that I know the creator of the ride? Not only do I know Him but He selected me to ride this particular ride and has carefully made it just for me so that I can learn more about Him, worship Him and glorify His name through it all?
When I first climbed out of bed to pray, read, and write I thought I would be writing about wanting stability more than I wanted God. As I began to read passages from the Bible on trust I realized that instead of the stability I thought I wanted, God is giving me yet another way to trust Him with my situation. I just need to be reminded, yet again!
Through out the Old Testament God is constantly reminding His people that He will cut off whatever they trust in if it is not Himself. The idols they make, the kings of other nations, each other. God wants His people to trust in Himself.
Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose trust is the Lord.”
It goes on to say that “He will be like a tree planted by water whose roots go down deep.” There is stability in that tree. It will not be moved.
So how does that apply to me? I am living in a house that is not my own. The things around me are not mine. We will soon be moving to a state where I know five people, make that six. We just found out that we “may” not be able to get the help with closing costs on our house and without it we are not sure we can get that house. We just received bills for medical expenses that a doctor said we did not have to pay and now that she is out of business a collection agency is trying to collect it. For the past year we thought we were moving to four different places. The year before that we were dealing with visa issues in Russia and wondering if we would have to leave the country on a moment’s notice.
Roots That Go Down Deep
I can’t tell you how many times over the past week I have longed to be in a house for longer than a year. That is not the life that God has called me to right now. When we talk about providing roots for our children we often talk about a single house, neighborhood, schools, and town…a stable life. Is it possible to provide “roots” without that? If stability is established by trusting in God then I believe it can be done. A location will not provide the type of stability that only God can provide. He provides the stability that goes down deep into the soul through trusting Him with my situation. It is through soaking in His truths that I find the strength to trust and I know how to trust. Reading His words and talking with Him, obeying Him, and giving praise to Him with my children for what He has done and who He is.
Here are some verses that are strengthening my foundations:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight” Proverbs 3:5-6“Trust in the Lord forever,
For in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:4“Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2
These are the promises that my heart will rest in.
by Judith Havens
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