"Not Just Words"

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
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As I was praying about today's message I really felt that the Lord wanted me to share with you the message that I shared yesterday on our kids devotional. It is about the need to trust in God. There are so many things in the news and in the events of our lives today that would cause us to be fearful or distracted from the things of God. We all to often hear people speak the words, 'Trust in God' and I really felt that the Holy Spirit wanted me to share this word with you as well as the kids yesterday as a reminder, a reminder that the words 'Trust in God' are not just words but a choice we make.
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Trusting God isn't always an easy thing to do because it always involves making a choice and sometimes that choice can be a really hard one to make. Take a look at this example in Exodus 1:22-2:1-3 where a very special mom had to make just such a choice. When Moses was born the Pharaoh had commanded that all the babies that were born boys were to be thrown into the river and that all the girls could be saved alive. It says that when Moses was born she was able to keep him hid for three months but there came a point where she couldn't keep him hid and safe any longer so she made the choice to trust God to keep Him safe. Putting him in that basket in the river wasn't an easy thing to do! It would have been the hardest choice she ever had to make. She was trusting God to make sure he was safe.

It says that she ...took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed with asphalt and pitch, put the baby in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. Now if you keep reading the story of Moses you'll see that the choice she made to trust God was a good one! He did exactly what Proverbs 3:6 promises. He made a way for Moses to be found and raised in Pharaohs own household! He even made it possible for his mom to be his nursemaid so that she was able to still be involved in caring for him. She trusted God to make a way where she no longer could! It was a hard choice but as you can see by the outcome, it was the right choice to make. I love that this amazing mom trusted God with something she absolutely and totally treasured - the life of her son!

Later in the life of Moses where we see yet another opportunity where the choice to trust God is necessary. It says that ...Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Exodus 14:21-22 Think about it. Would you dare to step between the water as it is heaped up as a wall on either side you? Would you be able to trust God to keep the water heaped up there, looming up on either side as you passed through along the path He has cleared for you? Would you dare to even take that first step? I love that God's people dared to trust Him and step between the walls of water!

What about in Matthew 14:28-31 when Peter says to Jesus, "...command me to come to You on the water."

So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to on the water in the midst of the storm if He will just say the word. He trusts Him to direct his steps even if it means walking on the water in the midst of this storm. At Jesus' word he gets out of the boat and walks toward him...all the while trusting. After a bit he gets distracted by the storm and he forgets to trust in the word Jesus spoke. He starts to sink and is overcome with fear. What does He do? He turns to Jesus trusting Jesus to save him. Jesus reaches out a hand and catches him up. What happens next. I don't know if you ever thought about this but it goes on to say that after Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him that ...they got into the boat and the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him saying, "Truly, You are the Son of God."  They got back in the boat together. That means that Peter and Jesus walked back to the boat together!
Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, ..." Now you might think that this is a bad example of someone trusting in Jesus but personally I think it is a terrific one. Look at what happens here. Peter lets Jesus know that he will trust Him and come to him

Trusting God is always a choice and that choice is always about linking up with Him, putting your choice in line with His direction, His provision. Trusting in Him means we look to Him for provision or direction or even a helping hand when being saved is the thing we need. He is and always will be faithful to meet all our needs if we will choose to trust!