Trust: The Wisdom of Intentional Reliance

John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Don’t you love that?  You can almost hear the gentle, yet authoritative, voice of Jesus as He reassured His disciples then and His Word ministers that same wisdom to His disciples today.

Watch the nightly news (or worse 24/7 arguing heads who used to be “talking heads” but no one ever just talks anymore) and it’s easy to have a troubled heart. 

Jesus says “Don’t.” 

Trust is the Wisdom of Intentional Reliance on God.  In confusing times (and none were probably more confusing than when Jesus was telling the disciples He was leaving them, going away), it can feel like we’re adrift on a sea of uncertainties.  There’s no one we can trust, no solid ground for our feet, nothing sure except death and taxes and that’s all that’s on the news.

But into that whirlwind of conflict, Jesus calms. 

He speaks peace. 

Jesus says to trust Him.

On any given day, I’d like to throw in the towel on social media, except the Internet is my workplace for both theology and sewers (yes, but let’s not talk about that given many recent days of rain).  It gets disillusioning watching the country and people I love descending into insane conflict—divided, deranged, and destructive.  I want Jesus to calm my storm, and so He says His peace. 

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John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

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Thank you, dearest Jesus, for being humble and gentle, strong and willing to carry the burdens of our lives all the way to the darkest places: the earth, the Cross, and the tomb.  Thank You for rising from the grave to give us hope and reason to display the wisdom of relying upon You.  Help me to trust You with my life, my whole life.  Help me to give You this world I cannot carry on my shoulders, this world absolutely out of control.  Nothing is too hard for You and everything is too hard for me apart from You.  You have told us that persecutions are coming so we’d be prepared, but never without reminding us that You are supremely faithful.  You are worthy of our trust and our love.  Hold my gaze upon You when temptations are legion to look elsewhere.  You alone have the words of eternal life.  You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Give me eyes, Lord, to see.  Give me ears to hear Your words of Wisdom so that I can trust You with my whole heart. Amen.