Do You Trust Him?
For this morning’s exhortation, leading into our time of confession, I want to spend a few minutes reflecting on what it means to “believe in” Jesus. As we work through Hebrews, and really the whole Bible, we come to see that belief in Jesus must be more than intellectual agreement to an idea. This meaning may be lost in the common use of the saying today.
We hear things like: do you believe in Santa Clause, do you believe in ghosts, do you believe in the Loch-ness Monster? What is meant by these questions is to figure out simply if we think these things are real or not. This however, is not what the Bible means when it talks about believing in God.
The Lord when speaking to Moses said:
“How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?”
In Jesus’ ministry, we see this just as plainly. Track with this list of events in John 6:
A large crowd follows him because he did signs and healed the sick
He then feeds the 5,000+ around him
Then, perceiving they want to make him king, he withdrew from the crowd
We see revival happening here, right?
That evening the disciple head across the sea without him, and he walks on water
The crowd, having followed him to the other side, ask how he got there?
And Jesus responds to them and says:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
Then they said to him,
“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
Jesus answered them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
So they said to him,
“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?”
In both cases, it is clear that the people of Israel, and the crowd around the Sea of Galilee saw miraculous things, that they would not deny. So they believed some things, yet are said to lack belief in God, belief in Jesus.
Another way to ask the question about belief is: Do they trust him?
The word trust implies a response attached to it. Belief, (rightly understood), involves a response as well, but it is easier to see in the word trust. Trust is relational.
If you trust your spouse to pick up the kids from school, it means you don’t carve out time to do it. If you trust your roommate to lock the door when they get home, it means you don’t set an alarm at 11pm to go check it after they get home. So trust can mean conscious inaction, and it also can mean action.
If you trust that certain laws are for your good, then you stop at red lights, and you drive on the right side of the road. When you trust a friend, you will share with them honestly how you are doing.
These are all pretty basic examples, but the point is, trust implies a response from you based on the value or character of the thing you trust.
So the real question is:
Do you trust Jesus? Do you trust Him?
Do you believe not only that he is real, but that he is faithful, that he is gracious, that he is good? Or as Hebrews says,
“[do you] believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him?”
Do you believe that he is dependable and worthy to be trusted?
Do you trust His Words? When obedience may be inconvenient, or costly? That God’s way is perfect and that his word proves true. That his word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. That God’s wisdom is everlasting, and leads us on a sure and straight path.
Do you trust him with your needs? Jesus says that if we who are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more does our father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask of him? Do you trust that he cares for the grass of the fields and the common sparrow, so how much more for his sons and daughters. Trust him when your means, your resources, and your ideas all fall short.
Do you trust him with your sorrows? Seeing that he is near the brokenhearted, that he hears you and cares for you, and is working good in you. That His goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
Do you trust him with your sins? Do you believe that he can and has borne them on the cross for you? Do you trust his work is sufficient and completed. That your soul can rest from your toiling to try and produce a righteousness of its own?
You can trust him in these things. He is trustworthy, he is faithful. Jesus is real, and he is good. He is a rewarder of those who seek him, he pours out blessing on those who come to Him.
There are many applications that could be made in light of this, but there is one that is especially fitting to lead us into confession. That is a pattern that emerges in scripture.
Psalm 18:30,
“This God — his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
Proverbs 30:5,
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 62:8,
“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
He is a refuge for his people, he is our strength, our shield, our wisdom our salvation. There is none like him, you can trust him. You can trust Him with your weaknesses, your sins, your doubts, your struggles right now.
Father, we believe in you, yet often our faith and trust is weak. We all too often want to trust our resources, our intellect, our wisdom instead of trusting you. We often want to trust in what we can see and quantify, or what we think we can control, rather than listening to you and trusting that you will make good on all that you say. Holy Spirit, grant us faith that trusts the goodness of Jesus, maybe for the first time right now, as we pour out our hearts to you in this moment of silent confession…
Father, you have left us with an abundance of reasons to trust you. You have given us countless testimonies and witnesses to your power and goodness working around us, and in us. Help us now to take hold of those things in our hearts and draw confidence from them. Increase our faith and trust as we look to you again and again. And in Jesus name we ask this, Amen.