The Psalms are my favorite devotional book. I could spend hours just letting the words soak in. Maybe it’s the musician in me. Maybe it’s the glimpse into another person’s heart. Whatever it is, there is nothing like spending time in the Psalms. As I was reading Psalm 20 a few weeks ago, I came across a verse that sparked an idea for a good exercise.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7
Well, I can honestly say I don’t get hung up on putting my trust in horses or chariots, but I did ask myself, “What do I trust in apart from God?” So ask yourself, if you were to fill in the blanks for chariots and horses, what would you say? “Some trust in _________ and some in _________.”
Then I read Psalm 146:3-4:
“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that day their plans come to nothing.”
This verse took the thought one step further showing the downfall of the thing we trust in. So, how could the things you filled in the blanks fail you?
Here are a few of the answers I came up with:
- Some trust in retirement funds and savings accounts. Well, we’ve all been reminded of how fragile our savings are these days with banks failing all over the place.
- Some trust in security systems and guns. Our homes can still be robbed, and we personally have had a car stolen.
- Some trust in nutrition and exercise. Let’s face it, we’ll die anyway whether we eat salad every day or not.
- Some trust in getting stuff and getting rich. But it doesn’t satisfy and we can’t take any of it with us anyway.
- Some trust in seeking thrills and pleasure. Then we find it’s never enough. We begin to need a bigger thrill and often ended up addicted to what we crave.
- Some trust in Oprah and Dr. Phil. But remember, they’re only human and their philosophies often follow their ratings and pop culture.
- Some trust in fully-stocked pantries and big freezers. But the food goes bad before we can even use it.
- Some trust in higher education and high-paying jobs. But we’ve all heard about the former CEOs who are today managing their local McDonalds.
Now before you take offense or find exceptions to any of these examples, please know that I’m talking about things we trust in place of God. Some of these things are very good things and can make our lives here on this planet much better. But we must realize that everything on this planet is going to wear out, break down, and come to an end.
We live in an uncertain world. Jesus reminded us in Matthew 6:19-21 to not store up our treasures here on earth where they will break, be destroyed, or be stolen.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”
So, we need to realize that our ultimate hope and security in this life need to be set on the Author and Creator of our souls. It’s only in Him that we can feel secure even as our retirement fund tanks, we lose our home to foreclosure, our job gets cut, or we find we have a life-threatening disease.
Take comfort in the truth that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He cares deeply for His creation. As the Psalmist in chapter 146 goes on to say in verses 5 and 6,
“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them – the Lord, who remains faithful forever.”
So, through it all, hold on to the Rock. Set your hope in the Redeemer. Trust in His never-failing love. Know that He will never leave you nor forsake you when you’re trusting in Him.
