Trust the Ice

Since it's winter (although in Texas it's been in the 70's), I thought I'd leverage a ice-based analogy.  Folks in the north will get this.  Southerners, try to follow along :-)

You peer out the window to see that the lake has frozen over.  You gear up, complete with ear muffs and mittens and your moon boots, and head out to test the ice.

You begin by putting your right foot onto the ice, left foot securely on terra firma. You shift a little bit of weight... just a little... to give the ice an initial test to see how solid it really is.

"Seems solid", you say to no one but yourself, "but I wonder how solid it is toward the center."  You tentatively take your left foot off the ground, shifting all of your weight on to your right, and place your left foot on the ice, as well. This was a big step of faith. Good for you. But you want to test the ice further.

You slowly scoot your feet 6" forward at a time, heading toward the center of the lake.  Your faith in the solidness of the ice grows, and you start to gain more and more confidence.  Your scoots become steps. Your steps become strides.

Then - all of a sudden - you have doubts, and you slow down again. You start to question what you just had confidence in only a moment ago. You picture the ice cracking, and falling through into the cold dark water.  Why?  Because you don't fully trust the ice.  Your worldly self ... your skeptical brain ... tells you, "Good!  You shouldn't just trust anything that fully!"

You once again put your right foot forward tentatively, keeping most of your weight on your left ...

Isn't this our faith journey? We accept Christ and, at first, have full faith in Him. Then the world makes us question His promises. Promises of a full, meaningful life.

Our doubts rise to the surface. It may be due yo tough times, questions we don't have the answers to, or the loss of someone dear to us.  It may come from believing that we are smarter than we think we are.

Sometimes it's that worldly thinking that creates doubt based on false premises.

But imagine if we just had full confidence in God. What if we took a running sprint onto the ice, never stopping until we reach the center?  What if we just believed with the faith of a child? What would that mean for our lives? What would that mean for the lives of those around us? Wouldn't that give them a sense sense of confidence as well? And wouldn't their growing confidence give us further confidence?

God, I know that you have the "full life" in your hands for me if I will just have faith in you and in your promises. I believe a little. Help me to believe fully, and to act upon it. I trust you. I surrender to you. I ask you to be Lord of my life ... fully. Thank you for your faith in me, while I was (correction: while I am) still a sinner. Help me Lord to return the favor.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

My God, in whom I trust.

He who 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."  Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

In who (or what) do you trust?  Do you believe in safety from financial wellness? Do you believe in a given government official, a candidate, or the government overall to take care of your needs? Do you believe a man or woman, respectively, will fulfill you?  All of these things will fail you.  Count on it.

If we are not looking to God for our fulfillment, we are looking somewhere else that is infinitely less.  Unfortunately, we'll still seek these lesser things.  That's just how we are ... fallen and flawed. 

For me, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  He is sufficient without adding anything from me, others, or this world.

A Desire To Do God's Will

I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.
Psalm 40:8

Even Paul said that he struggled with doing God's will. He sincerely wanted to, and tried to, but continually failed. And that's coming from one of the Bible's greatest characters ... like David, a man after God's own heart.

What does it mean to have God's law written on your heart? It means more than just knowing God's law. It means that we understand that God is good, and that his laws are what is best. It means we trust God as the good and loving Father that He is. And as a loving child, we desire to please our Father and trust him that his instruction will keep us on path for the plan for which He's created us.

Notice that the Psalmist does not say that he does God's will, but that he desires to do it.  He acknowledges his inability. But God knows that we will fail. He's already there when we do. All He's worried about is that you have a true desire in your heart to follow and obey His law. This shows Him that you love Him back, and that you trust Him at His Word.