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E-PARISH OBSERVATIONS

AN ELECTRONIC MINISTRY OF PASTORAL CARE

Volume 3–Number 6 October 2006

Dr. Gerald O. Breithaupt, D.Min.

THE CONCEPT OF TRUST IN THE PSALMS:

A Devotional Study

Part II

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

WORRY AND TRUST

When we try to move that mountain all by ourselves – sweating, struggling, worrying, and running at a pace to outrace our tears – think about what our worrying says to God when we refuse to give things over to Him.

When we worry about money, we are telling Him that He is unable to provide for His children; that though he has riches beyond belief in heaven, that he is too stingy to share them with His children. We need to remember that we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us (I Peter 1:4).

When we worry that we may not have enough food, we are telling Him that although He rained down bread from heaven in the desert to feed His children, we are the ones He has forgotten.

When we worry that no one understands us, we are telling Him that although He has been with us from before we were formed in the womb and has held us in the palm of His hand, that He does not understand us.

When we worry that no one will love us, that we will be lonely for the rest of our lives, we are telling Him that His love is insufficient.

When we worry that our children have decided to follow the world instead of our example, we are telling Him that He does not keep His promises, that, despite the fact that we have reared them up in the way they should go, they will stray.

When we worry because doctors told us that having children is impossible, a cure is impossible, healing is impossible, we are telling Him that this world controls our life, and that although He can raise the dead, make a virgin conceive, open the womb of a woman past eighty, heal a 12-year issue of blood, make a blind man see, and the lame walk, He cannot help us.

When we worry that we will not be able to do enough to earn forgiveness, we are telling Him: "That’s OK Lord, no need for Your Son to die, I can earn my own forgiveness".

When we worry that our enemies will have victory over us, we are telling Him that although He has given us spiritual battle gear to defend ourselves, and that his track record of being a giant slayer, Red Sea divider, lion mouth closer, and furnace cooler, He can’t handle our co-worker, neighbor, former friends, or relatives.

When we worry and do not share with Him, we are saying that He will not work things out, that obstacles cannot be overcome, that mountains can’t be climbed, that healing cannot occur, that what is lost cannot be found, that joy does not come in the morning, that He is not the God of the second chance, that the promised land has been swallowed up by the desert, and that we have explored the height & depth & width of His love and found that it falls short of meeting our needs.

When we worry and refuse to give the problem to Him, we are telling Him that although He could create the worlds of the universes, He can’t handle what is going on in our world.

Isaiah 41:10 ~ "…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Lord…we are tired of standing alone in the rain of our lives…allow us to find shelter under Your wings…our list of worries is long, but so is Your patience…let us begin….

THE ROAD OF LIFE

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I died.

He was out there, sort-a-like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really did not know Him.

But later on, when I personally met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I do not know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.

When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable; it was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on. Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and did not answer, and I started to learn to trust.

I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure, and when I would say, "I’m scared", He would lean back and touch my hand. I gained love, peace, acceptance, and joy; gifts to take on my journey, my Lord’s and mine. And we were off again.

He said, "Give the gifts away. They’re extra baggage, too much weight". So I did – to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, to control my life. I thought He would wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,

He knows how to jump clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.

And when I’m sure I just can’t do it anymore, He just smiles and says, "Pedal!". That is trust!