Trust Issues
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27
Several Sunday mornings ago, I observed a young father at the sound board. As church was about to begin, he was doing double duty. With one hand, he adjusted the sound mixing controls that support the praise and worship team. With the other, he held tightly against his chest, his wiggly six-month-old son.
The infant’s eyes were wide with wonder as he ogled all the sound board’s pretty lights. In his excitement, he bounced up and down, flapped those little arms as if he could fly. Then he abruptly attempted a head-first dive to get a closer look at all those sparkly things. He didn’t get anywhere close. Prevented from grabbing all the tempting lights and knobs that could cut and bruise his tender skin, he was safe in his Daddy’s grip.
It is said that babies are born unafraid; fear is learned later in infancy. That little one had complete trust in the one holding him. Though there are many things in this world that cultivate fear in us, we can learn a lesson from that father and son.
At this time of year many turn from memories of days at the beach to focus on preparing their children for school. Parents sigh in relief when they’ve checked off the mile-long list of of things their youngsters require before they set foot on campus: clothes, shoes, supplies, books and/or iPads, maybe a helmet and cleats. Yet as Johnny and Susie board that yellow bus the first time this season and it rolls slowly out of sight, parents’ relief turns to worry.
In today’s world, the place where kids are taught to read, write and expand their
minds, requires the use of metal detectors and cameras funneling data to the watchful eyes of security systems. Patrolling the halls of K-12, are school resource officers, who are fully trained police, keeping watch for danger as they protect and serve. Extensive measures are taken to prevent a misguided person who lets a loaded weapon speak his rage against the world. Sadly, sometimes the focus of that blind fury is caught by an innocent child who is doing nothing more threatening than raising his hand to answer the teacher’s question.
It is sad, terrifying and polar opposite of the way the world was when my grown daughters attended school. Their Dad and I warned them of “stranger danger”, but never did we advise them to be suspicious of someone with a large backpack or the kid who seemed to be troubled. Now it’s business as usual for our grandchildren to see security in force alongside walls decorated with school colors welcoming them back to the classroom.
How can we bear tomorrow’s news? The next kick in the heart from love and loss?
When we are fearful, we wonder how things can get any worse: crime in the streets; political unrest; the price of just surviving; the earth groaning beneath its burden. It is then we must do the hard thing, the last-thing-we-want-to-do thing, the impossible thing.
Trust the One Whose mind created the workings of the human brain, whose hand scattered diamond-glittered stars across velvet black skies and flung planets into space to form galaxies light years away. The same God Who tenderly, carefully, used His Potter’s hands to create that baby boy lunging for all those shiny things.
Father God wrote the answers—the description of all He is and what we must do — right there in His Book.
TRUTH: Psalm 31: 4-15: “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My
times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies…”
RELIABLE: Philippians 4: 6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every
situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
UNSHAKABLE: Psalm 91: 1-2,4: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust…’”
STEADFAST: Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Psalm 112:7: “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
TRIED AND TRUE: Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Matthew 18:3 reminds us: “I tell you the truth, you must change and become like little children.” That baby boy was fearless and not worried about a thing.
Just as we should be because our Heavenly Father holds us all in His grip.
by Elaine Hall
The Conversation
Good word Elaine!