03/03/2024
From the moment I began to read Bounds' words this morning I was grasped and carried off into thought. The bold statement that "Trust brings eternity into the history and happenings of time" is a powerful statement that demands much thought and contemplation. This morning's devotional brings us once again into the spiritual realm of faith and our trust in God. The gist of Bounds' offering to us is that trust increases faith and faith increases trust. This seems to be a paradox until we remember that trust is perpetuated by those things that God has already accomplished and faith is holding to those things as yet unseen.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
So we trust in God based upon what we have seen Him do, and we have faith in God based upon his promises, Holy Nature, and what He is yet to do.
Jeremiah provides wonderful insight into trusting God over man. It always amazes me that someone will put their trust in the fickleness of men over the steadfast truth that is God. When we look at the accomplishments of God as compared with the vacillating words and deeds of men there should be no doubt who deserves our trust.
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 KJV
Several years ago my wife was nearly crippled by bad knees; she was in constant pain both day and night. This had been increasing over the course of several years. The pain became so severe that it overcame her fear of knee replacement surgery... And yet the earliest she could get that relief was four or five months away. So we prayed.
At one point she was hurting so badly that she asked me why God answered many people's needs that I had prayed for and yet He hadn't answered hers. I knew this was the pain speaking and gave her something I had written on the subject of trust, faith, and waiting upon the Lord... She read it and then went to our quiet bedroom. The next day her primary care physician's office told her that she needed to call the surgeon... Her appointment had been moved up to within 4 weeks. A couple days later her surgeon’s office called with a cancelation and her surgery was moved once again to within 2 weeks. Something wonderful happened that day when she went back to her bedroom... God heard her prayer.
Sometimes we need to pray repetitively day after day; we do this because we trust that God answers prayer, and we have faith that He will answer this one we are praying now. I had prayed for my wife over and over again as her condition worsened; she had prayed as well, but something very special happened that day in our prayers... Something that prompted God to say now is the time. I believe that what Ann said in her secret prayer in our bedroom bridged heaven and earth. I think that her faith had grown to the point that she was able to put her unfettered trust in God… it was no longer my prayers of intercession, or her repeated calls to the doctor’s office… but her belief and leaning on God alone for His help as she prayed.
By reading Matthew 15 this morning we can receive a tiny glimmer of what had happened that day:
“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:25-28 KJV
In these, our perfected moments of prayer; we witness the greatness of faith... the power of God... it is a moment in which our faith becomes trust itself, and this trust increases that faith. It is here, in the presence of both our faith and trust that our belief will allow us to wait patiently in certain anticipation for the answer to our prayers. Do we wait on God’s answer? Are we patient in our expectation?
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
Psalm 62:5-8 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for our faith that fosters trust, and the trust you have given us that in turn bolsters our faith. Thank you Lord for the answer to our repeated prayers that we speak in both trust, and faith; and for the anticipation of your response. Help us Holy Father by surrounding us with your presence, and allowing us to feel it in our souls as we wait on you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God whose promises are certain, and who answers our prayers as we pray them in your will, and the name of Jesus. Great are you whose will is perfect, good, and forever true. We praise your name, and give you all the glory for each of them Lord, because all good things come from you. Hear us today as we lift our arms, and utter our prayers. This is the instant of your grace and mercy towards us, and the warmth of your love that surrounds us. This is the beginning of our songs of glory and worship of you… the seed of our faith, and the rain of your provision.
Amen
Rich Forbes