I Will Trust

“I Will Trust”

Isaiah 9:2;6-7

Isaiah 12:2-6

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid." What an affirmation! We should repeat that simple verse every day!

Of course, it’s a lot easier said than done. It’s easier, sometimes, to trust in the words of experts. It’s more expedient to trust in doctors and lawyers and politicians. I know... God can, and does, work through doctors and lawyers, and even politicians. But for me, and what I’m trying to help us understand, is “where do you and I start?” Where should we turn first? Who do we trust FIRST?

We face all kinds of troubles in our lives. There are many things that cause us to fear. Disease, inflation... war... personal challenges and difficulties that no one may even be aware of - except you.

And every-single-day, you and I have a choice: We can face those things in fear... or in faith.

As Children of God, and Followers of Christ, our calling is to TRUST God FIRST. Trust in the Lord. He is our salvation.

Of course, as we make our way closer and closer to Christmas... I’m reminded of Mary & Joseph.

Mary was overwhelmed by the calling placed upon her life... and her role in God’s plan of salvation to be the mother of Jesus... she was afraid, no doubt (the Bible says she was “Greatly Troubled” which sounds like she was scared to me)! Who wouldn’t be!? Yet... she trusted. She placed her life in the hands of the Lord.

When Joseph was distraught at the news that Mary was pregnant, and he knew that he wasn’t the father... he had a host of options (legal options) to settle the matter. But, instead, he submitted to the will of God, and trusted, that what the Angel had said was true... and that what was happening to Mary and to him, was all part of God’s plan to save his people.

Mary and Joseph are great examples for us: demonstrating, that IF we’ll but our trust in the Lord, if we trust His Word and his great love for us... He will save us.

The Bible is filled with examples of God’s deliverance, His salvation, when trust triumphs over fear.

+ I think of Moses... leading God’s people from slavery out of Egypt... being chased by the Pharaoh’s army: when the Lord parted the Red Sea, delivering His people; saving them, from certain death.

+ What about David, the shepherd boy, who acting in the power of God, as he stood before a Giant... Goliath... taking him down with a with a smooth stone and sling shot... God delivering his people from the Philistines.

+ Daniel, thrown into a den of Lions for praying to God alone. Unscathed. Not a mark on him. Delivered by God himself.

+ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego... placed in the fiery furnace after refusing to worship any god other than the One True God. Their clothing wasn’t even singed.

+As Paul and Silas found themselves imprisoned in Philippi to doing the Lord’s work... instead of succumbing to despair, they turned their situation into an opportunity for worship. Their faith and trust in God led to a miraculous moment when an earthquake shook the prison walls, causing their chains to fall off.

We could go on-and-on, because the Bible is full of such accounts of trust in God... leading to salvation... to deliverance!

Of course, experience tells us that TRUSTING God is not usually where we begin. When we encounter difficulties and trials, we usually try to fix things... to manipulate circumstances, to impose our will, our strength... our determination. And we wonder why we’re always spinning our wheels in frustration.

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid." That’s the starting point for God’s People.

We have to learn to say along with Isaiah, "I will trust... I will not fear: for the Lord God is my strength and my defense..."

We like to think, at times, that our life today is so very different than it was in Biblical times. But it’s not. We’re still surrounded by chaos on one side and sin on the other.

God is saying, "Trust me. Stop clinging to the things of this world." The Lord himself is our strength and our salvation. He’s got this!

Of course, God’s ultimate deliverance/salvation is in Jesus. Isaiah gave the promise from God; that a Savior would be born of a virgin. He would be a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

But God's ways are NOT the ways of this world. God doesn’t follow the norms and conventions of this life to achieve his goals... his purposes... his will.

Our Savior didn’t come in power and might. He came as a helpless baby... born into poverty, and war, and oppression. He didn't march onto the scene as a conquering warrior with guns a-blazing! Instead he overcame by being humiliated and beaten and tortured, before carrying a cross.

What do you trust in? In WHOM do you trust?

Listen to Isaiah, church. Listen to God’s Word: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." I don’t know about you, but to ME... that sounds like a promise.

That’s why Christ was born. As beautiful, and meaningful... and as inspiring and lovely, as the Christmas story is... Jesus wasn’t born to give us feel good story. He was born to deliver us. To save us. To answer the greatest promise of God. To offer “living water” that becomes a “spring welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14).

Let’s rely on... and trust in... the endless supply of Christ, as He sustains us to live life free from fear... taking every burden, every heartache, every situation that causes us pain and grief... replacing it, with JOY!

As we learn to say, "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid."

Amen.