Trust (Part 6)

“'AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,' and he was called the friend of God." (James 2:22)

This is total reliance; fully persuaded; no reservations; no split decisions.  We must believe God.  It's not just a belief in, but a belief of, trust, being fully persuaded that He is and that He does what He says.  He is completely, 100% reliable.

If we can grasp this, we begin to understand other portions of scripture.

• Matthew 6:24 – Cannot serve God and Mammon. Mammon is money. Either you trust God, or you trust your own finances. Uh, hello?  In today's market?  You gonna trust money?
• Leviticus 19:4 – “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.” (Trust ME!) An idol is something we make of our own hands. We are saying, “We want the control over our own lives through this thing we bow to." But, we don’t want to take responsibility for it so we blame the idol for our own failures. 
• Leviticus 20:6, 7 – “As for the person who turns to mediums and to spirits, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.” (Trust me! I will not lead you astray. Don’t suppose that you can begin to know the future without suffering the consequences of knowing the future. Trust me. If you trust me, the future will take care of itself.) 

Living in trust. Actively believing. Romans 4 does not contradict James 2. It is the same. Both are calling us to live in trust, being “fully persuaded” that God knows us, loves us, truly loves us, deeply loves us and wants what is best for us. Actually, let me say it this way – God loves me, truly loves me, deeply loves me and wants what is best for me and can accomplish it in me if I trust Him. Friends, that is the essence of holy living. That is being committed to holy living. Living in that trust in God’s personal love for me.

One writer said it this way.

Those whose hope is in God alone will be delivered from their enemies (Ps 22:4); their prayers will be answered (1 Chr 5:20); they will walk in straight paths (Pr 3:5); will be given joy and gladness (Ps 16:9; 33: 21); will know inner peace and absence of fear (Ps 4:8; Is 26:3). … The cause for hope is not in one’s merit with God or in some “tit-for-tat” arrangement, but only because of God’s … unswerving loyalty, His gracious kindness.

This is not blind faith.  Our past with Him has proven Him true to His word. Why do you think it wasn’t until later that God told Abram he was going to be a father through Sarah? God was busily preparing, proving, and building a rapport with Abram such that Abram would have accepted this bizarre announcement. When the call for trust came, Abram was able to respond with trust. Even when commanded to sacrifice this one son, Abraham responded as he knew God to be able to supply his needs, keeping His word. There is not “sacred formula” here. It is as simple and as difficult as that one simple word – trust. Being fully persuaded in God, in all that He is for all that we are.

Trust Him.