“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.” Jer. 17:7
The sky looked heavy with rain when I awoke, remnants of the storm that had passed through overnight. I felt led to take an umbrella on my prayer walk, but I checked my weather app, and it showed the storm well off the coast and no sign of rain near me on the radar. It was just a matter of time before the sun was to poke out, and it was going to be a great day. Off I went to walk with the LORD.
I was three blocks from home, and it started to rain. Once again, my weather app had given me wrong information and misdirected me. In the past month it had been wrong time and time again. I turned toward home to get an umbrella, railing at my weather app when the Holy Spirit interrupted me to rebuke me for where I had placed my trust. It wasn’t in Him. I had ignored His prompting to take an umbrella and trusted the “weather experts” instead of the Rain Maker.
In a world where knowledge has increased and information is at our fingertips; there are so many places to turn to find help in making decisions. It’s easy to trust in the opinions of man, “experts” on the Internet, the “science,” the medical community, the government, the news, those in high places, or even lean on our own understanding instead of looking to the One we call “Lord.” We’ve drifted into idolatry.
All who are led by the Spirit of God are His sons and daughters (Rom. 8:14). We’re sternly warned by God not to lean on our own understanding, not to trust in the arm of the flesh; not to trust in man no matter how elevated he is in power (Prov. 3:5-6; 28:26; Ps. 118:8-9; 146:3). The LORD’s blessing is for those who make Him their trust, who don’t turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie (Psalm 40:4). Jesus did not entrust Himself to man; He knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25)
David, the man after God’s own heart, who slew Goliath and tens of thousands of his enemies put His trust solely in the LORD. He penned these words: “Those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10) “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.” (Ps. 20:7-8) David didn’t just talk the talk; he walked it out. Time and time again when faced with hard decisions and needing wisdom and battle strategies, He sought the LORD, inquiring of Him for next steps. His trust was not in his strength, his track record, or his mighty men. His trust was solely in the LORD. When the LORD answered, David was quick to obey and realized the blessing.
The LORD says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jer. 17:5) “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” (Isa. 2:22) Daily, we’re called to surrender to the LORD, to grow in deeper dependence on Him, to cry out for wisdom, to wait on Him, to hear His voice and to obey. He wants to be our all in all. In a world where deception is rampant, artificial intelligence is the new god, and truth has stumbled in the public square, unless we’re rooted in God’s Word and are heeding His voice, we’re at risk of being swept away by a flood of lies. The call of a Christ-follower is to be set apart from the world, to walk by faith not by sight, to walk in oneness with Him, in the truth, in love, but circumspectly, alert, and sober-mindedly because the days are evil. The enemy prowls around looking for someone to devour. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “In whom do I trust?”
“Father, hallowed be Your name. Your Word proves true. Blessed are those who trust in You. Forgive me for trusting in man and leaning on my own understanding. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. I’m so easily deceived and led astray by the clamor of voices around me. Help me to test the spirits, discern the truth, and fix my eyes on Jesus. Your spoken Word is my daily bread. I choose to abide in You, let Your Word abide in me, and be led by Your Spirit. Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I choose to put my trust in You alone.”
~Lisa Moore